The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-08-28
SERVICE FOREIGN
TO THE SPEED COP
Cops Ideal is to Poster
Rather Than Assist Mo-
toring Public.
ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS

This is the fifth of a series OF ar
ticles based on a traffic survey made
in Wisconsin cities by The Milwaukee
Journal. and reprinted with permission
in the Kenosha Evening News. The
Journal will be pleased to receive fur
Their comment from officials and resi-
dents of cities noted.
The speed cop and the smiling blue
coat who helps the Riddles across the
street on their way to school are
brothers. They are both arms Of the
law. The average citizen has warm
feeling around the heart for the blue
coat and entertains a cordial dislike
for that other chap-the speed cop.
Why? The major reason is because
the blue-coated policeman goes out Of
his way to serve the public and the
speed cop does not.
Service is usually the last thing a
motorist expects from motorcycle
officer. This can be attributed to the
fact that the speed cop has pervert-
ed idea as to why he's riding the
roads. He actually thinks that he IS
out there to make arrests and that all
motorists are his natural enemies.
1IGdtlitE LnCm dS SuCH IG AAAAAc AAAAA
self hated, but cannot understand why.
Motorists Seldom Warned.
Motorists and motorcycle officers
are both to blame-the speed cop to
the greater degree. His idea in many
cases is to poster and offend. Seldom,
if ever, do Wisconsin motorcycle
police warn motorist that he is
transgressing the law, that he had bet
ter "slow down. Instead he drives
alongside with the query, Whats
your hurry" and informs you of your
arrest. In 80 of Wisconsins largest
cities survey shows that only In
eight communities are motorists given
second chance before arrest. Well
bet that the records of these eight
cities will not show as many arrests
or as many accidents as in the cities
where the speeder, local or out-of-
town, is peremptorily arrested.
Chippewa Falls, De Pere, Kenosha,
Madison, Marshfield, Merrill, Portage
and Stevens Point declare the motor
ist is treated fairly while in those
communities and is warned at least
once before he is arrested for speed
ing.
In Amigo, Appleton, Baraboo, Beav-
er Dame, Beloit, Eau Claire, Fond du
Lac, Green Bay, La Crosse, Mani
towoc, Marinette, Menasha, Menomo-
ME, Milwaukee, Neenah, Oshkosh, Ra-
cine, Sheboygan, Superior, Two Riv-
ers, Waukesha, Watertown, Wausau
and Wisconsin Rapids the speeder is
usually greeted with an arrest for his
first offense. Oshkosh states that ex-
ception is made if he is tourist,
then he is let off with a warning.
A Beaver Dam query states "the mo-
torist, if a nonresident, is arrested
peremptorily here. If local man, he
is warned" If that statement is true,
the Beaver Dam officials have certainly
misguided opinion as to fair play.
First offenders in any Wisconsin
city should escape with a warning.
And it should be friendly warning.
A kind word sinks in and does a great
er good than harsh command to
stop and 'tbe in court tomorrow morn
ing at g." We know a few motorcycle
officers, but they're a very few, who
are keen-minded men who are bending
every effort towards winning the good
will of the motorists of their own COM
munity and of the transients who pass
through. They realize that they can
get results in their particular terri
tory by giving the deserving motorist
timely warning. Then, if that warn
ing is not needed, the next violation
calls for an arrest. The average motor
list knowing of speed cop who is try
ing to do the right thing by the motor
ing fraternity respects that mans
territory and conducts himself as a
model driver when passing through