Enforcing the Law

Let us
re-examine the premise, frequently developed here, that many mounted
policemen seem to have been trained to the principle that the most
important phase of traffic enforcement is writing the citation rather
than guiding erring motorists in the path of righteousness.

A
man was nudged to the side in the southwest section by an officer who
said he'd gone through a red light. The driver said he was certain he'd
made it on the yellow. Everyone knows who wins that one.

AS THE OFFICER
stood writing the ticket a flash came over the police radio that a
nearby bank was being held up. The officer admonished the driver to
follow him to the address. When he was through there, he said, he would
finish the ticket.

As the officer took off there was great soul
searching between the motorist and his wife. "Don't go," she said. He
said he felt he should, even though he didn't think he'd run the red
light. "Maybe there'll be shooting," his wife said. "He has no right to
endanger our lives." The husband said they'd have to take a chance —
the law was the law. So they went.

Nervously they approached the
bank. But there was no shooting. It turned out to be a false alarm. And
the motorist held still while the officer completed the ticket.