Evening star., 1947-11-24
Warnings Given
On 158 Traffic
Tickets in Week
19ConeeIed, Report
Refused Bor Group
By Police Shows

by foNCe SnoWS
Police figures on the adjustment
of traffic tickets fixing (Which
were refused the District Traffic
Court Conference Committee last
week, have been made public tc
others in weekly statements fol
several years.
The weekly statement issued today
and headed Report of Warnings
and Cancellations =" discloses
158 warnings we're issued and IS
traffic violation tickets were can.
celled. The reports are made by
commanding officers of the precincts
and of the Traffic Bureau.
This refusal to furnish the figures
to the Traffic Court Conference
Committee was contained in letter
to the committee from Inspector
Arthur ]. Miller, head of the Traffic
Bureau. The committee is ap.
pointed by the Bar Association te
make recommendations which viii
be of assistance in handling traffic
cases and enforcing the laws.
Called administrative Matter"
Inspector Miller's letter to the
committee said Police Supt. Robert
j. Barrett held the figures should
not be furnished the committee be-
cause the average person would not
understand them. The letter said in
part:
Il discussed this subject with Ma
Barrett and he is of the opinion
that the information on the num-
Der of the ticket adjustments by the
captains of the precincts should be
treated as an administrative matter
and should not be made public
He feels that traffic conditions
vary considerably all over the city
and there is more traffic enforce
ment in some precincts than others
and the adjustments naturally vary
also
He believes that the average per-
son would not understand the
variance and thereby forms dis
torted picture of untrue impression
of the real situation"
Report Lists Names.
The weekly statement lists the
name of the person given ticket
and identifying data about him, the
name of the officer involved, the
disposition and the reason for that
disposition. The totals for the
traffic and harbor divisions and the
precincts follow Except as other
wise noted the totals are for
November 1922, inclusive:
Traffic division-19 warnings: I
cancellation.
Harbor division-No warnings: no
cancellations November II to 23)
First precinct-9 warnings: no
cancella tions. November 16 to 23)
Second precinct-7 warnings; 6
cancellations. Nov. II to 23.)
Third precinct-16 warnings; 2
cancellations.
Fourth precinct-e warnings: no
cancellations.
Fifth precinct-11 warnings; no
cancellations. November II to 23)
Sixth precinct-14 warnings; l
cancellation. Nov. II to 23D
Seventh Precincts warnings: 2
cancellations.
Eighth Precinct-s warnings; 5
cancellations.
Ninth Precincts warnings; l
cancellation.
Tenth Precinct-41 warnings; l
cancellation Nov. 12-22.
Eleventh Precinct-No warnings;
no cancellations Nov. 1929.
Twelfth Precincts warnings! NO
cancellations.
Thirteenth Precinct warnings;
no cancellations.
In general when a traffic ticket is
given a motorist, If his record is
good, the precinct commander may
give him warning instead of send
ing him to court or taking collateral
from him which he elects to forfeit
Cancellations are another matter
They apply, apparently without ques-
ton. when the motorist is en-
titled to diplomatic immunity. Ir
one case listed in today's reports
however, ticket for parking in vio-
lation of regulations was Cancelled
because the motorist was carrying
a large payroll from bank.
Barrett's Stand Criticized.
The Traffic Court Conference
Committee is headed ex-off1cio by
George E. Mcneil, president of the
District Bar Association. Its secre-
tary is Nathan M. Lubar.
Mr.. Lubar said today he did not
believe Maj. Barretts attitude was
correct in Withholding the informa-
ton sought.
Certainly I think any member of
the public has a right to that in
formation" he said. Last year the
second annual conference recon-
mended that all tickets be adjusted
In hearings and that the reason be
put on public records so that the
public would know no person is being
treated differently from another and
that the law applies alike to every
body
The disposition of tickets by warn
ings or cancellations vary greatly in
number For instance, in today's
report there were no such cases in
the 18th precinct In No. 10 there
were AZ.
The 10th precinct includes busi-
ness districts along Fourteenth
street, Georgia avenue and other
thoroughfares where parking is
closely regulated so patrons may
have access to stores. This is one
of the reasons for the high number
in that precinct.
INenhew |Geftin0