Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Times
Wednesday, January 5, 1977, page 6 (of 23)
The page
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opinion
• editorials • commentary • letters
Chief a credit to Coral Gables
Amid the pros and cons, the heresay and the apparent misunderstandings on the whys and wherefores of his retirement, we have our own feelings about Coral Gables Police Chief William G. Kimbrough. While every police officer our reporter Ana Maria Alvarez spoke to praised his chief, there have been times when many of the City Beautiful's police officers were not so charitable. One recollects an outstanding incident which found men in the rank and file complaining because they thought the chief was interfering with their private lives. He felt that an officer of the law should be above reproach and obey the law at all times even as he would have the public obey the laws of their city. And even though we plead guilty on the subject of questioning his methods on occasion, he was indeed right. If a man chooses to be an officer of the law, he should be above reproach in all matters dealing with the law, no matter how liberal he may sometimes feel. And it is true that Chief Kimbrough had an open door policy. His men have said that and we must believe them for he has always been available to this paper and its reporters when news of the department had to be gotten from him rather than a public information officer. A law man who eschewed pomp and ceremony opting instead for down to earth habits and strict law enforcement, he joined the Gables police force in 1928 and became its chief in 1945. He saw the department move from inadequate quarters to a multi-million dollar police and fire facility where his successor will take up where he left off. In bidding farewell to Chief Kimbrough, we don't mean to sound a funereal note, for this is not, strictly speaking, farewell. We see in the future, other law men turning to him for counsel, building on the sound foundation he has put down and perhaps remaining in public life in an advisory capacity. Sometimes a controversial figure, Chief Kimbrough had a tremendous responsibility and he met every challenge head on. Yes, the old order changeth, yielding place to new. We hope the new is as responsible as the old.
the gables publishing company
serving south dade and coral gables since 1926 jim storey general manager bea moss managing editor bob levine advertising manager richard linn circulation manager address: 4627 ponce de leon blvd. coral gables, fla. 33146 telephone: 666-7981
edwin knight | City court yields to streamlined justice
Maybe there was too much thought on the holidays, on the bowl games or recovering from the New Year's holiday. Or maybe the people in the municipalities just don't care. But you who reside in the municipalities lost something on Jan. 3 that has been a part of your city since your city was incorporated. And that something is your city court. It has all been turned over to the county court system now, as dictated by the state electorate in 1972 when they voted in the two-tier trial court system. And the city court has gone the way of the Justice of the Peace, the Juvenile and Domestic Relations court and the Civil Courts of Record and the Criminal Courts of Record. There are just two courts now—the circuit and the county court—and when you violate one of your city's ordinances, you'll face a county court judge now. There is no doubt that this is a streamlining of the local justice system. It'll be more efficient when the bugs are ironed out. There will be no more opportunities for cronyism in the choosing of city judges. And there could be a lessening of partiality in the hearing of cases. But to me, something has been lost. A city court was an institution, which served as a protectorate of the residents of a city. When you violated a city ordinance, you were in effect violating the laws of the residents of a city, as dictated through that city's elected legislators. And when you faced a judge, you faced a city judge who knew the city's codes, the city's inherent characteristics and the city's pet ordinances. A city judge, oftentimes, was better qualified to temper justice with more empathy for his fellow resident. In effect, if a city was empowered to pass laws, it had the additional power to try those who violated the laws in its own city court. But all that has gone now. Instead of facing Judge Smith, who lives two blocks over and two blocks down, you'll likely face a county judge who knows little about your city. The immediate effect upon your city? Coral Gables has fared pretty well. There will be a full service county court on the second floor of the city's new police station. So you who are arrested for a violation of Coral Gables' ordinances won't have to go downtown. You can face a county court judge right in Coral Gables. In South Miami, the Monday night sessions will be no more. Neither will the city court's most effective probation department be in operation. But there will likely be a branch of the county court in South Miami to hear the city's cases, much as the traffic court now uses South Miami's courtroom. But the cases will be heard in the daytime. So when you receive a summons because your dog barked a little too long, you might have to miss work to get to county court. In West Miami, losing the city's court apparently is no big deal. "We didn't have too many cases anyway," points out Mayor Edmund Cooper. But instead of a city court, the city is setting up [a?] Neighborhood Dispute Center, which will bring parties together as was often the case with the city courts. So if you get a barking dog in West Miami, you may still be able to iron things out with your neighbors and not have to miss work to face a county judge.
reader response | Mo-peds: Are they a blessing or a curse?
EDITOR: Based on articles and letters recently published, Mo-peds appear to be a blend between a curse and a blessing. Perhaps parents of owners, owners and those who oppose Mo-peds would like to express their views on this. The Legislature authorized the use of Mo-peds without requiring licensing, headlights during daytime driving, helmets for operators, or imposing other restrictions applicable to motorcycles. I voted for the legislation since the Mo-ped appeared to be more of a bicycle than a motorcycle. During the early to middle '50s, I lived for a period of time in Africa and European countries where the forerunner of the Mo-ped was in wide use. Its wide usage was based on economy in countries where fuel prices in those days were approximately $1 a gallon. There were no restrictions upon their use and, in fact, in the United States there was little regulation as to motorcycles. Most people agree that many of the European automobile drivers would not qualify for safe driving awards under U.S. standards. However, the few accidents which occurred with the Mo-peds in European countries suggest that they are not necessarily a menace to vehicular traffic. I would like to suggest to those who favor the present legislation, as well as those who oppose the restriction-free Mopeds, that they write to their legislators expressing their opinions, pro or con. JAMES F. ECKHART State Representative
School discipline is on the way
EDITOR: It is important that Kenneth Phillips' letter to the Editor, Dec. 22, be answered. Not only does the new school board superintendent intend to tighten discipline measures, but there are those school board members who have been working toward this goal for some time now. Hopefully, together now we can bring about some positive results. ETHEL BECKHAM Vice-Chairman Dade County School Board