University of Virginia Library

Local Policemen Comment
On Speed Trap Charges

Reacting to charges made by
several students of the University
that the Charlottesville Police were
employing methods reminiscent of
"small town cop-ism," one
spokesman for the Police
Department, when asked to reply,
said, "There's no sense in saying
anything."

An anonymous third year law
student made charges Tuesday that
the police in Charlottesville were
employing radar in such a manner
that drivers were at a disadvantage.

Specifically he noted that by
using the radar at the bottom of
hills and on broad streets where the
speed limits were inconsistent with
traffic conditions there, the police
were able to catch unsuspecting
drivers.

fine for the first offense, $35.75
was unrealistic in light of the fact
that it was a person's first offense.
He also alleged that the police were
allowing little leeway for human
error over the speed limit.

The student planned to alert the
American Automobile Association
to the speed traps in Charlottesville.
If the AAA were to designate
Charlottesville as a speed trap the
results could seriously lessen tourist
trade in Charlottesville during the
University's Sesquicentennial
Anniversary.

A spokesman for the
Charlottesville Police Department
when told the charges levied against
the department reacted with several
statements. He said first that the
fines were imposed by the court,
not the police department. As far as
the radar itself, he said that they
don't make a practice of placing
radar at the bottoms of hills and
that they never summons anyone
traveling under forty miles an
hour. The spokesman expressed no
concern at the threat of reporting
to the AAA, and said that the
student might do whatever he
pleased. He ended by justifying
radar in Charlottesville as "useful
for slowing down speeders."