Cars line up on the east side of Delaware Avenue near Main after a one inch snowfall.     Paul Goldfinger photo. March 26, 2014 8:00 am

By Paul Goldfinger, covering the crime beat  @Blogfinger

Did you ever see someone driving erratically and then notice that they were talking on a cell phone?  Or maybe you have had somebody tailgating you.  So you say, “If the police would enforce the laws on these behaviors, people wouldn’t do it.”   In other words, we intuitively understand the concept of deterrence. But we have so many laws in our society, that the police have to make decisions/choices about enforcement.

Locally, we have complained on occasion about minor laws that are not enforced in OG such as not posting yard sale notices on telephone poles.  We said that failure to consistently enforce the laws created confusion and resentment.

But another argument could be made which says that just the fear of enforcement will deter the bad behavior and that unpredictable enforcement is also effective in deterrence.   However, that is theory, albeit plausible theory.  Wouldn’t it be satisfying to see that theory in action?

Recently there was a crackdown in Ocean Grove where there was an outburst of tickets and towing done to make an impression on those who fail to follow the snow emergency parking rules. We whined on Blogfinger that the citizens should have been given a warning that a blitz was on its way.  We weren’t opposed to enforcing the rules, but we thought that this was handled unfairly.

However this morning, after only one inch of snow, not even enough to make a proper snowball, I saw quite a sight. Everybody in my neighborhood had parked correctly even though they all must have realized that no plows would show up today.

So I was wrong.  The surprise crackdown not only punished the evil-doer parkers, but it created quite an impression as seen by the good parking all over today.  Crime doesn’t pay, and deterrence does work.

Apologies to Deputy Chief James Hunt and his gallant band of deterrence officers.

LOUDON WAINWRIGHT   from Boardwalk Empire, Vol.II   With Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks  (courtesy of Fred Ohleth of OG)  “The Prisoner’s Song.”

“I’ll be carried to the new jail tomorrow,

Leaving my poor darling alone.

With the cold prison bars all around me,

And my head on a pillow of stone.”