The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-09-24

VI injured PERSONS, SHepleTuS
curious onlookers out of the way
of moving traffic, and clears the
highway of dangerous debris. He
investigates the causes of the
accident and preserves important
evidence. He straightens out the
snarled traffic at big football and
basketball games; spreads the
safe driving gospel through talks
to civic clubs, high school classes
and other groups; inspects school
buses; teaches in traffic safety
schools; and gives driving tests
to driver license applicants. The
patrolman must be familiar with
the increasingly detailed motor
vehicle laws, the latest accident
investigation techniques, tn e
complicated truck weight limits
and penalties, the driver licens-
ing laws, the liquor laws, and
laws governing arrest and search
and seizure. He must be able to
operate the latest scientific en-
forcement devices, such as the
radar speed checking apparatus,
the electrical speed clock, and
two and three-way radio equip
ment.
Their Work In The Courtroom
The patrolman must spend a
great deal of time in the court
room, testifying in cases where
he has made arrests, and occa-
sionally in civil cases based on
accidents which he has observed
or investigated. Last year patrol
men spent over 10000 hours in
court, and in almost $50 of the
100000 cases tried, defendants
pleaded or were found guilty. To
make sure that the facts in each
case are presented fairly and
completely, and to avoid pitfalls
set up by clever defense lawyers,
the patrolman must have a basic
knowledge of the rules of sworn
testimony. To make his testi-
mony more effective and accu-
rate, he keeps record of every
arrest and every accident invest
igation. To provide the Depart
ment with complete information
covering his activities, he fills
out daily, weekly, and special
reports. BY the time a patrolman
radios his check-out signal at
the end of his normal ten-hour
day, he may well be both men,
tally and physically exhausted.
Their Commanding Officers
Since its birthday in 1929
eight men have shaped and
guided the Patrol in its campaign
to make driving in North Caro-
lima safer. The first, Charles D.
Farmer, remained in office long
er than any of his successors,
serving from 1929 to 1887. Farm
er was succeeded by Arthur P
Fulk, who headed the Patrol for
approximately two years. Ronald
c. Hocutt was the third COM
mander of the Patrol, serving
from 1888 to 1899. A former pa
trolman, John T. Armstrong, re-
placed Hocutt in 1889, and di-
rected the Patrol until 1945.
Howell ]. Hatcher, who followed
Armstrong tas Patrol Comman-
der, was the first and only mill
tary man to head the Patrol. He
remained in command from 1945
to 1949, when he was succeeded
by c. R. Tolar. In 1850, for the
first time, a Patrol Commander
was appointed from among the
ranks. He was James R. Smith,
the present Colonel, one of the
original thirty-seven patrolmen,
who was serving as Patrol execu-
tive officer with the rank of Ma
jor at the time of his promotion
to the rank of Colonel, as Com
mander. In 1852 Captain William
B. Lentz became the second ca
mand. He served as command
reer patrolman to assume COM
ing officer for little more than a
year, when Colonel Smith re-
sumed command, and Lentz be-
came the Major of the Communi-
cations and Transportation Divi-
sion.
Their Roll Of Honor
More than 1900 men have worn
the uniform of the State High
way Patrol during the first
twenty-five years. Three of the
original thirty-seven patrolmen
died while serving with the Pa
troll. Patrolman George Thomp-
son was killed on July 2, 1929,
the day after he was sworn in.
An automobile came out of a
side road and crashed into his
motorcycle as he was carrying
out his first days patrol. Major
Charles D. Farmer, the first
Patrol Commander, who guided
the Patrol through the stormy