Montgomery County sentinel., 1938-03-03
Municipal League
Asks State Police
Station In County
Continued from page u

IOr uuIy IN oCner parts OF the SCaCe,
and is frequently withdrawn for duty
elsewhere especially during the racing
seasons at the various tracks in the
State. This means that Montgomery
County has no service from the State
Police from time to time.
"The result is that the burden of
policing the entire State Roads Sys-
tenn in Montgomery County is cast
Upon the local police force, and is
paid for without the aid of State re-
venues. Col. Munshower, Superin-
tendent of State Police, in a recent
letter said that "to assign additional
men in Montgomery County, perman-
emily would mean taking them out
of some other section where they are
just as badly needed" In other words,
he is admitting that Montgomery
County needs the State Police just as
badly as other sections where they
are now assigned.
81. There are 314 miles of State
Roads in Montgomery County. This is
the largest mileage in any of the %
counties of Maryland, which has in
all 1886 miles of State Roads. The
State maintains complete control
over these roads, yet it is not willing
to police them in our section of the
State. 1t regulates the speed limits,
yet does not enforce them in Mont
gomery County. 1t fixes the weights
and sizes of vehicles using these
roads, but does not take steps to en-
force the limits, so fixed. These roads
constitute through routes to other
parts of the State, and are main
routes leading to Washington, D. C,
from the West, and North. These
highways are used as open routes of
escape by criminals and gangsters
cut of Washington, but the State does
nothing to protect them.
Montgomery County, despite these
facts, with 80 of the State roads has
only 10 Of the State Police Force to
patrol them.
"2. Montgomery County in 1886
paid approximately $225,OO0 in real
and personal property taxes to the
State, this being the second highest
of the % counties. Yet it is assigned
only 1 of the 80 State Police to serve
its interests.
SO. ALI traffic fines collected in
Montgomery County must be turned
over to the State treasury according
to the law. Therefore, last year lend
ing in October 1937) approximately
100000 was turned over by Mont
gomery County to the State repre-
senting traffic fines collected by tht
County without any assistance from
the State, financial or otherwise. Yet
the State only assigns one State Po-
liceman for permanent duty in Mont
gomery County.
a. The State maintains State Pc.
lice substations at the following
points: Laurel (Waterloo), Frederick
Cumberland, Belair, Salisbury, Como
wingo, Randallstown, Waldorf, ant
Easton.
at will be noticed that two of these
stations are located in Hartford Coun
ty (Conowingo and Belair which art
located on Route u. Hartford County
has only 225 miles of State Roads
which is 80 miles less than Montgom
cry County, Hartford County pay:
only 100000 annually in real anc
property taxes as against Montgom
ery's $225,000. Harford's population
is almost half of Montgomery's, be
ing $4,000 as against $4,000. Mont
gomery also sells times as man!
new automobiles as Hartford County
Nevertheless, the State has established
2 substations in Hartford County, bu
none in Montgomery County.
Similarly, frederick County ha
only 251 miles of State roads Al
against Montgomery's 314 miles
Frederick pays $125,O00 in Stat
property taxes as against Montgom
ery's 1925, 900. Montgomery sells 2H
times as many automobiles as Fred
erick, and has about 5000 more il
population. Yet Frederick has Stat,
Police substation which Montgomer.
does not.
Charles County waldorf substa
tion) has 232 miles of road, pays only
approximately $4,000 in propert.
taxes, and has only 1880 in popula
ton. Moreover, Waldorf substation i
in district where the roads are no
nearly as densely travelled as is tru
iA the Montgomery County section.
"And so with the other countie
where State substations are main
tanned. Hartford, Frederick an,
Charloa ColIntipa aYo uickod oylxy fo