Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-12
TRAFFIC VIOLATION
BUREAU URGED FOR
NATIONAL CAPITAL
Central Agency to Handle
Minor InfractionS Seen
as Efficiency Move.
OTHER CITIES REPORT
PLAN PROVED SUCCESS
Police and Traffic Officials Study
Proposal Which Was Lost
in Congress in 1925.

ACCESSIBILITY of establishing a traflc
violations bureau to handle cases in
volving minor infractions of the traffic
code, has been taken under considera-
ton by police and traffic officials in
connection with the operation OF the
new Department of Vehicles and Traffic
which will begin to function July l, I'M
der the direction of William A. Van
Duzer.
A traffic violations bureau was first
suggested back in 1926 by Col. l. G.
Moller. former assistant traffic director,
and steps were actually taken to pro-
vide for its creation in legislation. A
bill to authorize establishment OF the
proposed bureau, however, died in Con-
7ress.
The plan for violations bureau con-
templated a fixed schedule of fines Tor
minor traffic violations, which motorists
would be given the option to pay with
out going to court. 1t was designed
originally to relieve congestion in Trathc
Court.
Capitalization Planned.
The plan now under consideration is
similar. but the primary purpose Is not
SO much to relieve the Traffic Court, as
it is to establish central agency Tor
handling traffic cases which are not
taken into court. Every police precinct
station, under existing arrangements.
it was pointed out, serves as traffic
violations bureau when it accepts COL
lateral for minor infractionS of the
traffic regulations.
Traffic officials believe that centrali-
cation of the work of handling minor
traffic offenses, not only would facili-
tate the disposition of these cases, but
would at the same time, relieve the
station clerks in the various precinct
stations of considerable routine work.
The greatest relief, it was said, would
come to the station clerks at precincts
in which business sections are located,
es the ajority of the minor violations
occur in these areas.
Inspector E. W. Brown. in charge OF
the Traffic Bureau, has given the pro-
Eosal for traffic violations bureau con-
siderable study.
Visited Other Cities.
He recently visited several cities. in
Guiding Syracuse and New York, to
stuoy their systems of handling minor
traffic ofTenSes and wrote to several
others for information. One of the lat
ter was Detroit, which has had traffic
violations bureau in operation for more
than six years.
Inc need OF central bureau lor
handling the minor traffic cases, it was
said, viii be more urgent upon the
adoption of the triplicate plan for is
suing tickets for overtime parking and
other minor violations. Arrangements
are being made to put this plan into
effect soon after the new department
of vehicles and traffic is established.
With the use of triplicate tickets.
record will be kept of every violation
for which a ticket is issued, and Of
tenders will not have an opportunity to
escape a penalty. as the officers issuing
the tickets will be held to strict account
for the disposition of these tickets. IN
der this arrangement, it was explained,
policemen will not be SO likely to FIX
up" violations for their friends, as one
ticket will go to the Traffic Bureau for
the records. OF the two remaining
duplicates the officer will keep one for
his records, and the. other will be issued
to the offender.