Evening star., 1941-08-10
By JOHN H. Cassidy, Jr.

the Metropolitan Police Department,
which Is charged with the respon-
sibility of investigating trafflc mis-
haps and determining their causes,
has been making almost as many
arrests in cases which involved no
collision as in accident cases.
This is revealed in a report by
Inspector Arthur E. Miller, head
OF the traffic division and chief of
the A. P. u, covering the arrests
made by members OF the special
SQUAD during the first six months OF
l941. The report shows, among other
things, that 1,947 motorists aside
from those involved in accidents
were arrested for violating trafflc
regulations during the six-month
period by officers Of the unit.
This is only SO less than the
number of arrests made in connec-
ton with investigation of accidents.
The total of traffic violations
charged by the squad OF 40 men
was 1857. In addition, the unit
made 230 arrests for violations OF
other than traffic regulations. 2l4
in no-accident cases and Is in the
course of accident Investigations,
making a grand total of Abs ar
rests.
The accident prevention unit
came into being last September,
few months after the return OF
Inspector Miller from a year OF
specialized training in traft1c work
AT the Northwestern University
Traffic Institute. The squad now IS
composed of So privates. sergeants
and acting lieutenant.
All of the officers took special
courses of training in accident IN
vestigation and prevention before
being assigned to the unit last
September. Inspector Miller con-
Quoted courses in traffic accident
investigation and public relations,
Ira Gullickson gave instruction in
photography, 1t. Beverly G. Beach
taught report writing and trafnc
regulations and conducted examlna-
tions on accident investigation and
rules of evidence. Pvt. J. r. Milsted
of the traffic division showed the
officers how to take measurements
by use of decelerometers and Capt.
Harvey G. Callahan gave lnstruc-
tions in rules of evidence.
There have been reports that some
officials feel the personnel of the
unit should be reduced so that
more men would be available for
other enforcement duties. In the
opinion of Inspector Miller, however,
a reduction in the staff would Grip
pie the unit so much that 1t would
be useless to continue 1t as spe-
cialized squad.
Instead, he believes, the unit
should be strengthened by the ad-
dition of u to Is men and three
more cars for use in probing accl-
dents and in trying to remedy the
causes of fatal accidents. Additional
officers are needed especially TO
cover" the many accidents which
! occur during the peak traffic pc
riods in the morning and afternoon
and to patrol the main highways,
where the majority of mishaps occur
Inspector Miller pointed out yes
terday that the A. P. U. has been
able to establish the cause In 81
Der cent of the accidents which 1t
has investigated, while the record
for traffic enforcement officers prior
to the advent of the prevention
| unit showed that causes were not
determined in 20 to % per cent OF
the accident cases.
However. the unit has been able
to send its own investigators to
only about 10 per cent OF the accl-
dents reported because of made
ouate personnel, Inspector Miller
said. A good" accident prevention
SQUAD. according to the best trafflc
authorities, should be able to in
vestioate at least IS per cent OF all
accidents. About As per cent OF the
drivers involved in accidents in
vestigated by the unit were arrested
for traffic violations, and this Is
considered a. good average by trafnc
authorities.
The inspector also pointed out
that requests of Army officials Tor
motorcycle conveys" for troops
moving through the city have added
to the work of so motorcycle offcers
assigned to the traffic division. ana
he feels an increase of 80 motorcycle
men is needed. i,
During the first six months OF
1e41. the division performed o44
hours of escort work for service
troops. including 319 hours in a
single month, June.
Inspector Miller said he feels a
SQUAD of specially trained men IS
needed not only to find out the
causes of accidents. but to work out
means of correcting conditions
which cause accidents. He insists
however. that the remedies cannot
be applied without the assignment
of an adequate number OF trained
officers to investigation work.
The report for the first hall OF
1o4l shows that the greatest single