Laurel outlook., 1947-12-03
TO GUT ROAD
DEATHS IS DESCRIBED

Armies of American people of all
ages, $4,000 last year, are needless
ly killed in highway accidents. The
cost last year in Montana was more
than So million and in the nation
more than $1.5 billion. So serious
has the menace become to life, limb
and property that the traffic divis-
ion of the International Association
Of Chiefs of Police conducts a traf-
fic institute at Northwestern uni
versity in Illinois, with policemen as
students, and operates a field SER
vice to study local situations and
train officers and other enforcement
people. Contrary to supposition,
most of the killings are done by
just ordinary citizens, whose record
far exceeds in number of victims
and money loss the losses resulting
from murders.
These were some of the points
made Wednesday evening at the
weekly dinner meeting of the Lau-
rel Kiwanis club by Ted Lovelace.
a representative of the international
Association of Chiefs of Police, traf-
fic division, who addressed the club
and was introduced by ]. Willard
Baldwin, program chairman.
The association membership is
made of police chiefs of virtually
all cities and is international in
scope. The traffic institute, estab-
lished in 1888, is directed by police
officers and has grown apace with
the mounting loss of life on the
highways. Soon after its establish
the institution received a
money grant to carry on work in
the field for study of traffic, the
making of recommendations to local
municipalities when requested and
the training of officers.
Policemen attending the institute
at Northwestern are selected on
scholarship basis. Lovelace, himself
4 police officer with much exper-
ence, will soon examine a number
If applicants in his territory of
mountain and Pacific coast states.
Those chosen will be honored, but
hey will all lose weight while TAX
ng the course of several weeks at
Northwestern.
At request of bar associations the
institute has extended its training
o courts and prosecutors at sessions
,nown as conferences. Two o n
erences have been held, the first I
n New York and the second at {
northwestern. The only criticism l
as been that they are too short. I
More than a year ago the Billings I
ity government requested the as I
istance of the traffic division.
,ovelace talked to the MAYOR and '
hief of police who requested assist [
nee in setting up a system tailored '
0 the local need. Recently this I
-as given, and Lovelace is in the t
erritcry and was available as a t
peaker here because of the survey C
nd training now in progress for
he Billings officers. The setup in o
'udes administration, policies, prin- e
piles and records. Of records, it
essential to know what, who and A
here.
Almost without exception the po- :
ce departments of the country arc
nder-staffed. The instructors can
D nothing about this except to
axe recommendations to the NUM-
for more officers; neither
IN they alter roads, widen bridges h,
broaden streets. They take the q
.arsonnel at hand and existing road y
I'd street conditions and do their q
,st with what they have. Results fc
e gratifying. Marked reductions
deaths have resulted, not by the d;
of a magic formula but by the B
.ercise of common sense based on
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