Cussing Cops

Motorists have not laughed at the joke since Model-T days but many a policeman still considers it tops in searing wit to snarl: "Where do you think you're going, to a fire?"

One policeman who does not think such snidery sidesplitting is New York City's Police Commissioner Lewis Valentine. Commissioner Valentine asked: "Why do so many members of the force, when serving a summons, act as though the violation were a personal affront? The violator does not offend you, so why cuss them and bawl them out? I always avoid sarcasm because I always resented it when I was a patrolman and a superior officer directed it at me."

Better in many cases than a summons, said the Commissioner, is a "kind admonition." He looked forward to the day when traffic summonses were reduced 50%, and the "insulting, sarcastic, wisecracking" policeman would no longer grace New York City's force.

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