LAW ENFORCEMENT BULLETIN .. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION UNITED STATES DE~ARTMENT OF JUSTICE J. EDGAR HOOVER, DIRECTOR MAY 1969 VOL. 38, NO. 5 ---------­ T 11 E CO V E R- Hot wires and what the law e It for c e melt t officer should know abollt th em. See page 2. - LAW ENFORCEMENT - BULLETIN CONTENTS Message From Director J. Edgar Hoover 1 Hot Wires: The Hows and Whys; The Do's and Don'ts, by Sherman R. Knapp, Chairman of the Board, Northeast Utilities, Wethersfield, Conn. , A "Show" of Support for Police, by Carl E. Rivers, Chief of Police, Shelby, Ohio 7 Traffic Accidents, by Dan F. Schutz, Director, Bu• reau of Highway Safety Promotion, Divi ion of Motor Vehicles Wisconsin Department of Trans• pOT·tation, Madison, Wis. 10 ~ Mini-Lab on Wheels, by gt. Charles C. Samen, Mobile Crime Section, Metropolitan Police De• partment, Washington, D.C. 12 Publlsh_d by ,h_ Investigators' A ids . 16 .. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Improving Bank Security 17 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Washing'on, D.C. 20535 Wanted by the FBI 24 • .. LAW DAY, USA-May 1st-has become a sig- we believe that our established democratic system nificant date in our society. The American Bar under the rule of law is the best means to achieve Association, in promoting this annual observance, rights and freedoms. Certainly, the "rights and is performing a worthy public service. The noble freedoms" mandated under anarchy, commu- purposes of Law Day, USA, are: nism, socialism, or dictatorship are not "truth . ." III actIOn. 1. To foster respect for law and under- standing of its essential place in Ameri- The observance of Law Day, USA, is closely can life. followed by National Police Week, May 11­17, To encourage citizen support of law highlighted by Peace Officers Memorial Day on observance and law enforcement. May 15th. This time has been set aside by an • To advance equality and justice under act of Congress and proclaimed by the President law. to give all Americans an opportunity to pay 4. To point up the contrast between respect to the men and women who devote their freedom under law in the United States lives to our system of law and its enforcement. and governmental tyranny under Members of law enforcement can be proud that commUnIsm. their primary responsibilities relate to protecting the ideals so vital to our democratic way of life. The Law Day, USA, theme this year, "Justice and equality depend upon law­and YOU," is Justice and equality should be the goal of all a truism with a meaningful message for all men, but not all men want the obligations which . .. Americans. make these ideals possible. Rights and liberties under a free society are not automatically ac- To Plato, justice was a cardinal virtue. Some crued. They require a heavy and continuous philosophers have defined justice as "truth in action." Truth, we are told, is immortal, but un- investment of civic duty and individual respon- fortunately both truth and justice are subject to sibility. the frailties of man. Let us, not only today but always, exalt justice Maximum justice and equality depend on the and equality, and let us remember that these successful maintenance of an overall system for cherished freedoms depend upon law­and the orderly redress of grievances. In our country, EACH of us. MAY 1, 1969 Regard every fallen wire as dangerous. When you spot one on patrol or when one is reported to you, notify the power company so that repair crews may take immediate, expert action. .. • By SHERMAN R. KNAPP· Chairman of the Board, Northeast Utilities, Wethersfield, Conn. The Hows and Whys; The Do's and Don'ts ~ ­Mr. Knapp joined the Connecticut Light & ~laSSllchulleti. Electric Co. He assumed his present Power Co. in 1928, after gradullting from Cornl'll position on Apr. I, 1968. This article fint appeared in the June 1961 issue of Unh'erail) t al an electric­Ill engineer. lie was elected president of orlh('8 t l'tiliti€'s in 1966, following the Bulletin. Because of its important iDtereA affiliation of the Connecticut Light Power Co., members of law enforcement, Mr. Knapp has u ~ The Hartford Electric liGht Co., aDd Western it for reprinting here. 2 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin ) Every electric wire is a potential hazard and should be considered • The electric company which you know today is in most dangerous. instances quite different from that which you knew even 5 or Some fallen wires snap, twist, and 10 years ago. As the electrical energy requirements of this spew lethal sparks as they bite the Nation continue to skyrocket, the technology of the industry ground. Others lie quietly with no races ahead at an ever.increasing rate to keep pace with the warning rattles like a snake, but po- demand for energy. This article is designed to help you as a law tentially just as deadly. Do not go enforcement officer know what is involved in terms of public within 6 feet of any fallen wire. safety and your role. Preventive measures are always the best in any situation, whether it be automobile maintenance, weapons maintenance, or electrical accident for target practice by persons of all prevention. Thus, when boys and ages. And hard to find today is a po- girls attempt to play on or near lice officer who has not done his share electrical equipment, they should not of chasing young, eager climbers down just be summarily chased from the from utility poles and electric towers. area, to return again after you leave. Each one of these instances requires In your role representing legal au- that the law enforcement officer know thority, you can do much to impress the hazards and procedures involved upon children the hazards involved in an electric power emergency where and the potential threat to life. You there is a fallen or dangerous wire . can make these points in school pro­ ., • I lectric power is just that- power. It can be just as deadly as the ~ cartridge in your handgun or the speeding automobile. As bullets and speeding cars represent energy in mo· tion, so also electricity is energy in motion­power. Its voltage is like the water pres- sure at a hose nozzle. But unlike water pressure, there is no "safe" voltage for human beings. Water from a garden hose can make you just as wet as water from a firehose; you can be killed just as quickly with a .22 caliber • gun as with a .44 magnum weapon; , • and you can get just as "shocked" from 120­volt house current as from . • a 345,OOO­volt transmission line. ,. The law enforcement officer is fre- quently first on the scene when over- ~ r head wires come down as a result of • .. storms, cars hitting utility poles, fall- ing rotten tree branches, civil disturb- .. ances, or sabotage. Increasingly evi· .. A t to us all is the strange fascina- WOn which insulating devices high . Keep yourself and others away from metal highway dividers and metal fences of all kinds. atop transmission towers or poles hold A fallen wire draped over such dividers and fences can energize them for great distances. (' \ r May 1969 3 Keep out of the danger zone. Never get closer than 6 feet to fallen Impress upon motorist the fact that, should he step from his vehicle, wire. Keep crowds back and out from under overhead lines. Set he wOllld make himself part of the electric circuit from the wire to flares. Reroute traffic if necessary. the ground, just as the victim is doing in the above drawing. .. grams, and your cooperation, if called initiate it. A few pleasant hours in a The Emergency Strikes: What upon, can be invaluable in assuring classroom is a small investment toward To Do First the safety of young people in the preventing the day when you might As a law enforcement officer, _ community. have to rush the burned, broken form Equally important is the fact that, of a child to an emergency ward only should know the basic ABC's of an .. if schools in your area have not in­ to find that you were not fa t enough. electric power emergency: structed students in the hazards of Your local electric company IS A. Advise your headquarters of the electricity, you can perform a signifi­ ready to assist in all possible ways to emergency condition immediately. cant community service by suggesting formulate a meaningful education B. Brightly light the area if in dark­ such a program and then helping to program. ness hours and keep people at least Remind driver of damaged vehicle that vehicle is "hot" or energized Do not attempt to handle wires unless properly equipped or trained. when it has a fallen wire draped over it. Tell him that as long as Make sure that stick of wood, the wooden pole, or the rope you he stays in the vehicle, he is perfectly safe. use to remove fallen wire from vehicle or victim is free of dampness. 4 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin ~ oo feet away. Electric power emergencies frequently occur when it is raining and the wet ground increases the hazards. C. Cement is safe; metal can be deadly. Keep everyone from any kind of metal structure, fence, guardrail, or highway divider. Even a rusty old barbed wire fence may be energized by a fallen wire draped across it miles away and out of sight. In a hurricane, tornado, forest fire, flood, or large civil disturbance, fallen wires may be multiplied by the • hundreds. In such instances electric companies borrow skilled professional service restoration and linecrews from each other to augment trained man- l power.