group of men, within the structure of our State government, who
have the responsibility of protecting the life, property and welfare
of the citizens of our great State.

The State Police organization was first formed in 1921 under the
auspices of the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. It wasn't until
1935 that this organization was separated from the Department of
Motor Vehicles and made into a separate department of State gov-
ernment. At that time, there were 75 uniformed members and admin-
istrators within the organization. Today, this force has grown to an
authorized strength of 551 uniformed troopers and administrators. In
line with this growth of manpower and equipment, the basic respon-
sibilities and police activities have grown proportionately. There is
a tremendous job to be done, and you should be proud that you will
become a part of it.

My interest in highway traffic safety has been expressed many times
during my campaign for Governor and the recent legislative session.
I placed the full authority of my office behind safety legislation. With
the cooperation of the Legislature, we were able to pass such impor-
ant laws as a chemical test for intoxication statute and a point sys-
tem. They should go far in combatting this problem. I am in com-
plete accord with the Motor Vehicle Committee of the Legislature,
other State agencies and civic groups who are putting forth maxi-
mum effort in this field.

Traffic safety is made up of three basic fundamentals — enforce-
ment, engineering and education. No one, or two, can function with-
out the aid and complete cooperation of the others. Enforcement,
which includes the initial contact by the police; the appearance of
the defendant in court; and the final disposition of the case, is the
most effective deterrent to motor vehicle violations and accidents.

The appearance of a State Trooper on the highway reminds the
potential violator of swift action — if it is warranted — and it also
assures the general traveling public that the highway they are using
is being patrolled for their protection.

Speed is, and has been, the greatest contributing factor to acci-
dents for many years. With excessive speed, the reaction time of the
operator is too slow to overcome the normal emergencies which occur
in our every day driving. Speed is directly responsible for the seri-
ousness of accidents when they do occur. The continued growth of
expressway construction constantly multiplies the mileage of high-

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