Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11


rested in the past for various trafic Of
lenses most commonly have to say to
you?" He turned that beaming smile on
me in its full radiance and replied: Son,
/ am an officer of the old school, and
by mixing little understanding, lit
tie kindness, some psychology and a
great deal of patience In my work
also trying to be as courteous as / can
be at all times-I find it necessary to
make but few arrests"
Makes Arrests Reluctantly.
Also, he said: Il believe 1t is not only
the duty of all officers to avoid arrest
ing people as much as possible, but on
the contrary to do all you can to warn
and educate them in regard to traffic
regulations, because very few people
will Intentionally disobey an officer or
knowingly violate law"
THE most common violation I have
to deal with is people running past my
sign. Now, some officers are inclined
to regard this as an affront to their
dignity as well as a violation OF the
law-but I never do. I always halt
them and approach their Car with a
smile, and say, I am sure, Mister or
Madame, that you did not do this In
tentionally so please be more careful
in the future 1t Is often comical to
see how relieved and grateful they
look. And son, if you don't think that
is an effective manner in which TO
enforce the law, well-you just should
see how careful those same people are
the next time they pass my corner
1T is not our duty to 'bawl people OUT
anyway We should arrest II necessary
and warn If not but we should do poth
fAr -
getting that we are the servants OF the
public, not their overseers. When a
citizen is wrong he will realize 1t uSu-
ally, and when you in your contact Win
him acquit yourself as becomes an oHl-
Ger of the law, you have done much 10
promote a feeling of respect Tor the
| law on his part and make somewhat
less irksome any atonement ne may De
called on to make.
Question of AntagOnism.
"On the other hand, If you conduct
yourself as a blatant, bullying type,
creating the impression that you have
been personally injured in some man
ner, as well as the law being broken,
why, the citizen, of course, Will become
antagonistic. IT'S only human, especl-
| ally If he has people in the car wlIn
| MN, ana II the JuQSc uCCiuCo w AAAA~
him next day in court, why, he is more
or less apt to think that the Judge mas
decided against him and in favor OF
| the officer, and that he somehow OF
other has lost personal contest OF
some sort instead of being punished Tor
violating the law"
But you have" I urged, arrested
some and warned a good many more
| Tell me about them"
| Well" he went on to say. you do
meet some amusing people in this work
Perhaps the most frequent expression
that we traffic men get to hear from
citizens with whom we find 1t necessary
to do police work is, Say, officer, dc
you know who I amp Or sometimes
they vary it with Arrest mel Yeah!
Well go on and arrest me, If you are
looking for trouble, because, you can
believe me, I will make you plenty II
you ever arrest me-
Nov, when man draws himself UP
ever so haughtily and says, DO you
know who amp it is mighty hard for
en- experienced officer to repress what
is known in slang terms as a hoIce
laugh because to your old officer al
citizens are alike. A citizen is citizen
and the officer krowS very we'll that he
works under civil service, and that IN