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Computer Aids Perry Patrolmen In Enforcement of Speed ViolatorsHY hobby branchThe Perry headquarters of tbt, i Georgia State Patrol has jmde 11 out 80 arrests for speeding in this five-county area siife April 24, using a new mini-computer that can clolt;* speders, quickly and accurately^ according to Sg. J. E. Moreland, officer in charge.The Perry Patrol station has only one VASCAR unit in use and tlic* 80 speeding arrests since il was put into service accounts for only a percentage 0f speeders caught by the patrol and they expect another VASCAR unit to be put into use here in the near future.Called VASCAR—an acronym for visual Average Speed Com-► puter and Recorder—the device’s simplicity and flexibility is expected to deter drivers whohave learned to take advantage of older equipment’s weaknesses to escape speeding charges.Sgt. Moreland said a patrolman needs only two switches to feed information into a VASCAR unit, one for time and one for distance. To clock an automobile, he picks out the distance the other car travels between two easily visible landmarks and, with an internal timing device built into the VASCAR, times the car over the marked distance.When the patrol car travels the two landmarks, the operator uses the second switch to feed the computer distance measurements from the patrol car’s speedometer. Then, at the push of a button, VASCAR calculates the other car’s average'speed over the marked distance.The beauty of VASCAR, Moreland said, is that variations of the same technique work for cars approaching a patrol car from behind or in front, following or being following by a patrol car, or passing a patrol car parked beside the highway.At the present time, the Georgia State Patrol has only one VASCAR unit in each of the patrol stations in the state but it is expected that more will be purchased within the next three months.Major Porter Weaver, Commander of the State Patrol, said he hoped to acquire 300 VASCAR units, enough for 75 per‘cent of the patrol's units.Only troopers at the Perry station qualified to operate the unit at the present are TroopersJ.C. Moss and Q.W. Maloy.The troopers attended a two-day school at the State Police Academy and underwent a thirty day trial period of use of the unit before using it for enforcement. After the trial period, they were given a proficiency test on the computer.With the two operators, the unit is being used almost every day in this area, and with successful results, according to the number of arrests made with the unit.So far, none of the offenders caught with the new unit have said they were going to court to contest their speeding offense. The State Patrol, however, is confident the new mini-computer will stand up in court and is going to be a continuous threat to speeding violators in Georgia.Th* Houston Homo Journal, Parry, Q«„ Thursday, July 17. 196*VASCAR GETS SPEEDERTrooper J. C. Moss of the Perry State Patrol gives a ticket to a motorist caught speeding through the use of the VASCAR computer. At right is the small electronic device mounted on the patrol car’s dashboard, which is used to clock the speed of an automobile going in any direction. The control box of the computer is shown here is mounted on the door in the back seat. The trooper can determine the speed of car in a matter of seconds using the VASCAR computer.(Home Journal Photo).State Patrol Puts VASCAR To WorkState Trooper J. C. Moss parks alongside a highway near Perry, and clocks the speed of passing motorists with newly invented VASCAR unit, an electronic computer which accurately measures the speed of automobiles, no matter in which direction thev are aoina. A VASCARequipped unit of the Perry headquarters is being used daily in this five-county area to catch offenders. The unit can be used either while the patrol car is parked or in motion and can clock vehicles approaching or passingthp natrnl far (Hnma lonrna I Phnfnc)
Newspaper Details
Perry Houston Home Journal
Perry, Georgia, US
Thu, Jul 17, 1969
Page 15
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USA 30 Sep 2024
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