The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-06-25
MINNEAPOLIS SPECIALIST
DESCRIBES TRAFFIC RE-
GULATIONS IN MILL CITY
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CONTINUED from Page u
ers of the police, but after awhile it
filtered through the minds of the
public that the specials" were full
hedged police, with all the powers OF
a uniformed policeman, when the
antagOnism largely disappeared.
The special squad was under the
general supervision of Lieutenant
(now Captain) John Hart, of the
I"ular police department. The work
Of the Specials" consisted OF general
police services when they were driv-
Ing around the city individually in
their. own cars. Not being uniformed
they would see many violations Of the
ordinances which the uniformed pO-
lice would not see, inasmuch as the
violatOrs can spot a copper" blocks
away. Further, the uniformed police
being on foot could not follow up, i'm
m~ediately, the speeder or other
violator, while the Especial" being al
ready in his car was on the job all
the time.
A vary noticeable improvement in
the number of accidents and traffic
violations was noticed after the
specials" were at work a year or two.
A special justice court was or
ganized, known as the Traffic
Court" before which the violators
We're brought, at first two times a
week and later daily, which proved
very effective in checking further
Eransgressions.
The method of operation of the
specials was to stop the ~viOlator
and ascertain his name and address,
make of car, the car number, date
and hour and the number of the ordin-
.ance violated. This data was noted on
a ticket or tag with a duplicate, and
the smaller part being handed to the
violator or fastened to his car, and
the other half turned in at police
headquarters. The tag notified the
viOlator that he must appear the fol-
lowing morning or other designated
day, before Lieutenant Hart who
would use his judgment and the cul.
prit would bq admOnished at that
time or sent to the court. Only the
fragrant violations were sent before
the court, the others being merely
warned to ego and sin no more" A
record Of the violations was kept al
the police station and on a second of
Tense the viOlators were sent before
the court. The tag was serially mum
bered, in duplicate, and contained
space for date, license number, sec
ton number Of ordinance violated
time, place. make of car, name o
special officer, etc.
In cases of more serious Offense
OF in a rare case where the violate
refused to accept the courtesy tag,
ne was taken to the police station an
booked, in which ease it was necessar
for the v%iolator to put up bail for nj
appearance before the court. If ba
was not forthcoming, he was held III
Ill the next day and was taken int
court and tried. In case a violate
failed to respond to the "courtes
tag which was given him or left Q
mis- car, the case was ordered to eoul
and a bench warrant issued and wa
served by the special officer maxim
the original arrest, together with
uniformed officer. In this case Il
patrol wagon was sent to the a
dress given or to the address of Il
registered owner Of the car as d
termined from the license numbe
Such violations as driving a G.
while intoxicated carried heavy fine
but later straight jail sentences we
imposed; and this system still o
tains at the present time.
The specials" were always i
structed to be courteous 10 violate
a. frlly as the circumstances wou
allow. No arguments were carried
with a violator. He was given a ia
told to report and explain to {
court.