15 Apr
Commissioner says no more one-man cars
Today in Baltimore Police History 15 April 1946 Commissioner Atkinson says no more one-man cars
1-MAN PATROL CAR OPPOSED
The Sun (1837-1989); Apr 15, 1946; pg.7
1- PATROL - CAR OPPOSED MAN
Atkinson Says Two Are Needed / For Each Machine Police patrol cars in Baltimore, could not adequately serve I the public interest if operated by one man instead of two, Hamilton R. Atkinson, Commissioner of Police, declared yesterday.
Mr. Atkinson, who is asking for 212 additional patrolmen, had been questioned about relieving the need
for extra police personnel by taking a man from each of the radio cars and using him elsewhere. Two men in each car usually are necessary to handle such emergencies as a fight, house-breaking or disturbance involving several persons, the commissioner explained.
Major Problem Cited Moreover, if only one man were in the car, the machine often would have to be left unprotected, and a less continuous check could be kept on reports coming over the radio, he added. He said, also, that two-man operation facilitated the handling of school traffic, a major problem of the day shift or the department. Foot patrolmen are far from adequate to cover the school traffic, Mr. Atkinson declared, and patrol cars are called into use, as well as traffic officers on motorcycles. One patrolman in the car will take charge at one school, and the second man will move on to other traffic-congested areas nearby.
Child Fatality Low
'The child fatality record has been very low, and I intend to keep it that way.' he asserted. The day shift has to devote approximately five and a half hours to taking care of school traffic, he added. 'We have never used one man in radio cars. I have gone into the matter thoroughly with the inspector of the department and the captains or the district,” Mr. Atkinson said. 'None of my predecessors thought it feasible, and neither do I. 'Mr. Atkinson insisted on the need for more men to protect the city, particularly in outlying districts. He said there were about 231 men on each shift serving the entire city-wide area, 91 square miles.
This would increase Officer Safety while decreasing the expenses of fuel and The hours put on patrol cars.
https://baltimorepolicemuseum.com/en/bpd-units/patrol-division.html
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