The Washington times., 1924-09-20
THREE AS
/ ASKSF0R
CHANGE
Commissioners Oyster, How
ever, Pointing Out Results,
Will Not Rescind Order

The American Automobile Asso-
citation today protested to the
District Commissioners against
the practice Of putting motorcycle
policemen in plain clothes to catch
speeders. Commissioner James F..
Oyster, in reply to the three AS,
declared that he was not disposed
to rescind his order.
"The method has been very sue
cessful, as records of our depart
ment will show" Commissioner
Oyster said, "More speeders were
arrested in August as a result.
can see no reason for stopping
this plan.
Making Streets Safer. .
"These men," Commissioner Oys-
ter continued, Operate in the open.
They are making more arrests than
when they were in uniform and they
are breaking up speeding in Wash
lngtpn.
II want to say, however, that I
oppose any sneak methods of max
Ing arrests. will not countenance
policemen hiding behind trees and
the like. But l do think it Is a
proper method to put the men in
civilian clothes If this will improve
conditions and make the streets
safer for motorists and pedestrians
Ernest H. Smith, general man
ager of the three AS, filed the pro-
test with the Commissioners.
'"The policy quitting uniformed
men in civilian clothes)" he said.
''has caused trouble in many parts
of the country and has been aban.
doned by police department after po
lice department after it has been
tried"
Reasons for Protest.
"It is our conception of police
duties" Smith continues, that in
the ordinary course of events a
policeman is on the job to maintain
order and by his presence insure
compliance with rules and regula.
tons. It Is not the duty Of the
police to disguise themselves as to
make 1t easy to trap violators Of
average rules and regulations.
II do not recall in this District
seeing any substantial signs for
motorists acquainting them. with
speed regulations and this city is
the host to thousands Of foreign
motorists.
1.-THE additional reasons why we
protest against the continuation of
this policy Is that experience in
other cities has shown that thugs
and criminals employed the ruse Of
asserting they were officers in or.
der to get motorists to stop.
Motorists were afraid to stop at
the command Of real officers be.
cause Of fake police. The method
bred contempt for the law. It put
q premium on arrests instead Of
upon preserving order"
Mr.. Smith pointed out that in
New York only uniformed men
operate In the territory; in Balti.
more the practice was abandoned
after strong protests from citizens
and the press. Pittsburgh and Chi
ago police must wear uniforms. In
Milwaukee, uniformed men only are
employed. The same Is true in
Philadelphia.
Speaks For 600, 900.
Public protests against the meth.
&C you are employing now have
become so insistent when facts are
known that we are not aware at the
moment of any city where the
method has been maintained.
Mr.. Smith declared he was speak.
Ing for 500 motor clubs through.
out the country, with a membership
Of 100000. including 1000 in Wash.
Ing. He said the association would
cooperate in all constructive wayp
to lessen accidents and to bring
about safe driving. He declared
that the plain clothes plan does not
serve as useful a purpose as d
uniformed force.
Commissioner Oyster said that he
felt that eighteen miles an hour
was fast enough for any machine to
so.
Therefore. l believe. we are justi
fled in using any proper means to
stop motorists from exceeding this
opeed," he declared. A recent police
report showed that in August plain
clothes men made 100 or more
arrests for speeding than did the
uniformed men.
Goes Back to Occoquan
inA .A.s.