Evening star., 1924-09-21
Plain Clothes Traffic Police.

Protest by the American Automo-
Die Association against the policy of
setting plain-clothes policemen to
catch automobile speeders and other
Vloiators Of traffic rules brings to a
point at the District Building a ques-
tion that has caused controversy in
other cities. In the view of the asso-
ciatlon, whose protest has been filed
with the Commissioners, this practice
has been generally abandoned in cities
where it has been adopted, and il is
urged that Washington should not be
at odds with the policy prevailing else
where.
The objection to plain-clothes traffic
policemen appears to be chiefly based
upon the possibility that motorists
may be preyed upon by bandits who
overhaul them for criminal purposes
and get them to stop on the, pretext
that they are officers of the law. Such
experiences, it ppears, have been had
in other cities. So far as known no
motorists in this District have been
so beguiled
The purpose. of putting piain-clothes
men on duty to catch traffic viola tors
Is to find the speeders and catch them
In the act. 4 uniformed traffic police
man can be identified by a speeder at
distance. so that speed can be les
Sened. If motorists generally observe
the rules of traffic there will be no
need of traffic policemen. So long As
they persist in speeding and other.
wise breaking the regulations a force
must be provided to catch them and
insure their punishment as a correc-
ton.
1t would seem TO be of no moment
whether the rule breaker is caught
by man in uniform or in plain
clothes. He deserves arrest and pen
atty, and there is no valid ground for
his objection to arrest by a plain
clothes man so long as he has actually
broken the law.
1t cannot be contended that there is
no need of a police surveillance of
the motorists of the District. Acct.
dents are occurring at a shocking
rate, due in most cases to careless
driving. and in many cases to exces-
sive speed. 1t is an unfortunate time
for the American Automobile Associa-
ton to advance. the suggestion that
all traffic police be uniformed, in view
OF the recent record of casualties in
this city.
The association says: 1T is not the
duty Of the police to so disguise them
selves as to make it easy to trap vio-
tators of average rules and regula-
tons 1t is certainly the duty of the
police to trap violators by any means
One OF the most valuable branches of
the police force is the detective bu-
reau, the members Of which are never
uniformed. If all policemen were COM
PEELED to wear uniforms, whatever
their duties, there would be no end of
crime and but few criminals would
be caught. This is not to class the
speed violators with the breakers of
sraver laws. though the disregard of
law which the speeder shows is the
same in spirit as the disregard shown
by other offenders.
1t may be that the District is not
sufficiently placarded with speed-rule
notices for the guidance Of strangers,
as the association suggests. But
Washingtonians know the rules and
should obey them, and it should make
no difference to those who disobey
whether they. are trapped by men in
uniform or by officers otherwise
clothed. The law is the thing and not
the garb of the officer who represents
1t and is seeking to enforce it.