Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1925-02-11
ROAD pkUB[EM
is DIFFICULT
FOR TROOPERS
LEGISLATURE TO BE ASKED TO
PROVIDE FUNDS FOR PROPER
POLICING OF NEW STATE
HIGHWAY SYSTEM
IS NEEDED TO PREVENT CRIME

IS NEEDED TO PREVENT CRIME
! Charleston--In asking for an In
+ creased appropriation for the coming
/ biennial period. the West Virginia
| Department OF Public Safety has the
! problem OF adequate patrolling of the
new state highway system as one
/ very important question to solve
I This Is a comparatively new problem
/ to West Virginia since the states ex-
penditures for modern roads are Just
developing system of connected
4 through roads
1 Proper policing OF the highways
has been found necessity In every
state which has improved its roads
/ Two methods are possible for this
work The various counties may ap
point and pay officers to act within
their borders. or the state may patrol
the main highways with the state
/ police force II has been found that
the latter method is the more effic
lent and economical since the state
can patrol the roads with fewer men
than could the counties ard the state
police have broader jurisdiction
and can cooperate better than local
officers.
In other words, the cost OF high
way policing can be borne individual
| ly by the counties. at high cost and
without general cooperation. or by
| the state at a lower collective cost
and with force Of state police work
ing together under one supervision
and performing general police work
while safeguarding the roads.
Curb the Speeders
There are several angles OF the
highway policing problem. What ma
turally comes first to mind is the
prevention of reckless driving and
speeding. which endangers the lives
and property of all who may use the
roads This is indeed important and
can be curbed best by a mobile force
like State Police. who are in one
county on one day and many miles
away in another county the next day
The law breakers never know where
to expect to find them In addition
Il speeding and brainless driving
they check up on violation of other
motor vehicle laws, seeing that the
state gets its due in license fees and
that regulations as to lights and
other safety laws are enforced
But there are more vital factors In
the road patrol work. In other states
II has been demonstrated that the
gangs of bandits and holdup men
/ who rob banks and stores and waylay
citizens. depend on fast automobiles
] to get away from the scenes o. their
crimes. They can travel consider
able distance In short time, thus
leaving local officers behind them
State police, who are mounted on
fast motorcycles and cover the whole
state, are able to trace and capture
such criminals. Without adequate
state police patrol Of the new high
ways. West Virginia risks the same
criminal practices that have prevail
ed in Ohio. Indiana and Illinois.
where there are no state police
/ forces.
Enforcement of the prohibition
laws is also aided by state highway 20
/ lice patrol since the bootlegger gener
ally transports his wares in that way
His customer the drunken automo-
bile driver, Is another whom the high
way patrol must gather in
Courtesy to Tourists
The growing number of tourists
visiting West Virginia since the state
has been partially opened to travel
shows that bigger highway patrol
! Is desirable. The state policeman is
I trained to be courteous, TO assist
the traveller TO give him information
that will aid him. In case of accident.
/ the trooper knows just what to do
He is particularly instructed to help
women drivers and to warn, rather
/ than arrest, them when they unwit-
| tingly violate some minor rule. Good
policing Of the highways is apt to
encourage tourist travel and there
by the revenue derived by the state
! from the tourist
In the biennial report OF the De
partment of Public Safety, transmit
ted to Governor e. f. Morgan In De
cember, one of the recommendation
contained is that the control OF tour.
list camps be placed under the depart.
| ment
To keep the highway patrol dc
taehments of the West Virginia
State Police at their present size wi.
require deficiency appropriation by
the 1925 legislature since the amount
allowed for the current year is in