Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-09-29

: CURED OF them. Every police OF
: ficer does not make a good trafii
v cop. The traffic officer has a DIFF
n ferent job. He must be out on {
/: crossing in all kinds of weather
meeting all classes and character o
people, good bad and Indifferent
The traffic officer goes on duty, w
e will say, at o'clock in the morninl
, after a good nights rest and a hearty
breakfast feeling that the world is 8
y pleasant place to live In. He meets
4 people who greet him with a CHEEKY
good morning. The day goes on
Q he is continuously on duty until eve-
y ming and the public demand that he
!, wear the same smile at the closing
!. huor OF the day that he wore at the
: beginning. This is almost too much
, to expect OF a human being and the
man who would possess these attrl-
butes does not belong on this mum
dane sphere. His place Is guard
ing the golden streets above. How
ever. the nearly ideal traffic cop can
! be obtained II the commanding Of
, ficer is the right type and the sole
, Judge OF the qualifications OF the
men assigned 10 his command and Is
} not subject 10 outside influence in this
/ selection, whether that influence
emanates from an individual or an
organization such as yours. For
Gentlemen. bear this in mind that
you can perform one of the greatest
civic duties to your particular com
munity. by at all times supporting
the head Of your traffic squad and
insisting with your influence that he
have a free hand in the selection OF
! his subordinates and then I would
say. the responsibility for results
rests on him. The Police Depart
ment OF any city in the eyes OF the
visitors. is judged by Its traffic squad.
Let me make myself clear on this
point. A police officer desires as
slgnment TO the traffic squad with
the feeling that the hours of duty
being regular. enabling him to spend
more time with his family. requests
an influential friend or organization
to bring about this assignment. lie
is transferred to the traffic squad.
the commanding officer of which has
no knowledge of his qualifications.
After a short time he is found to be
totally unfit TO perform the duties of
a traffic officer both by temperament
and lack OF Judgment but he IS still
kept there through his influence.
This Is all wrong. Now, in the City
OF New York the commanding. Of
fcer is the sole arblter OF who shall
constitute the traffic squad.
The great number OF people ira
versing the streets daily and COM
ing in contact with the dangers OF
traffic that beset large city. makes
the work of the policeman a very
difficult and trying one.
The importance OF bringing TO
your attention the fact that the best
results that can be obtained from a
policeman that does traffic duty, Is
that he must be equipped first with |
the important factor of tolerance.
You are aware that people viii not
tolerate irritability on the part
OF a policeman, nor can the police
man tolerate irritability on the
part OF the driver or pedestrian as
the case may be. Therefore the one
principle with which al
policeman must be equipped in traf-
fc, is that great powerful instru-
ment-Courtesy
l believe that in New York at this
time, we have a body OF men that
are composed of intelligent. ener-
getic, wide awake fellows that have
every principle that go to make the
gentleman. With very few excep-
tons. they are courteous. willing and
faithful to their duty. When the
exceptions to this are discovered,
they are rapidly weeded out The
effect OF this upon the :
public Is such as to bring to the
public the Importance of coopera- !
ton. This cooperation is absolute
~ essential TO make a success of any !
traffic division in any city OF this
country.
As each succeeding administration I
came In. new commissioners and I
deputies were appointed and various ,
improvements were made from time I
TO time. Shortly after the present {
administration took office, the Mayor Z
appointed as Police Commissioner, .
a member OF the uniformed force In 6
the person OF Richard E. Enright, :
a practical policeman who had serv- :
I'd In various ranks OF the depart :
nent over twenty years. On Com 7
missioner Enrights assuming Of .
ice. he appointed as deputies. sew r
sral of New York's most prominent
public spirited citizens. The ap- e
pointee as Special Deputy Commits 1
'ioner in charge OF Traffic was DR.. :,
Tohn A. Harriss. one OF the leading !
BUSINESS men OF the city. being head q
II one large corporation and direc- \
or OF several others. and who In \
pite OF his multiharious buslness- Z,
interests. found time to formulate 4
md put into effect many new and !
PRACTICAL methods for coping with \
he problems OF traffic.
A number OF one-way regulations q
rave been established on various q
ross streets In the more congested n
ections. which have proved OF great b
'aiue In relieving extreme traffic d
These regulations per
nit Of the movement OF traffic in one Il
designated direction only, and have a
lso been found very efficient as a n
means OF handling a situation aris- Z;
ng from some temporary condition. Ii
IS rule, such regulations are es- v
ablished for the movement of traf- Il
c on parallel streets, so that traf- n
e desiring TO proceed in the opposite n
Erection will not be seriously incon-
enienced. Ia
Another valuable regulation in the as
OF congested thoroughfares 81