I reported to District Traffic Officer Sergeant Meirs in Nazareth and hit it off right from the start. I had no problem passing my driver's license test and took up duty immediately. Many times in the past I was told Traffic was the best, but nobody really had a clue, it was better than the best. This was the life. My first instructions were, we are totally non political', for instance if I stopped a car and the occupants were armed to the hilt but all the papers relating to the car were in order, that was all that mattered. It was the only way we could survive.

For the most part we worked alone and would be easy prey for a terrorist, if they thought we were a danger. In fact no matter how serious a state of emergency existed in Palestine I was allowed to go out alone when regular police personnel could only go out in groups of up to ten. All sides saw the need for traffic control, including the investigation of accidents. The way the natives drove there sure was a need for the latter.

To clearly identify us as Traffic officers we wore a white top to our blue police hats, white sleeves over our blue uniform and a white Sam Brown belt and holster. you could see us a mile away. I was so conscious of our 'spit and polish' appearance that more often than not I stuffed the holster with paper and carried the revolver in the motorcycle pannier bag. Many years of tough but fair treatment by past Traffic officers earned great respect from the police personnel, as well as the population at large and I was very careful to maintain same.

Our Traffic Division consisted of the District Traffic officer, two Arab Police, two Office Clerks and a driving Tester, I was the only Traffic officer in the district where there were about a thousand regular, motor pool and mounted police. If you think I did not feel special, you are dead wrong.