If Andy Griffith had not found Mayberry, NC for his TV show a few years later, he could have patterned it after Ridgeway and Constable Brindley. Ernie was just what Ridgeway was looking for to slow down the traffic and put a few dollars in the town’s treasury. Besides, with his Hudson and a minimum of uniform allowance it was a low overhead operation. He seemed to be everywhere along that stretch of road pulling violators over whenever he “judged” them to be a few miles over the limit. Multiple arrests were the norm, followed by a caravan of cars for a short trip to the Justice of the Peace. Ernie would be back out within a few minutes to nail the next perpetrator. Even when word got out to locals passing through who now held their breath as they dropped down to below 25 mph, Ernie never lacked for customers and made quite a reputation for him self and the town in the annals of southern Wisconsin law enforcement. Not always a good reputation.
Glenn Doan tells one story of how Ridgeway had put such a fear of the Lord in drivers passing through and letting up on the gas. One day he was whistled over by the town’s lone foot patrolman who undoubtedly wanted to get in on the act and action. Glenn laments that he thought of not stopping, after all how could a man on foot catch him? But then in a second thought, pulled over for just maybe Ernie was staked out around the corner and waiting for this guy with Fennimore and guilt written all over his face. Ernie’s deputy instructed Glenn to follow him around the corner where conveniently the magistrate was located. Within minutes the gavel was slammed with a loud pronunciation of guilty and a fine levied of, “$1 for the arresting officer, $1 for the Justice of Peace, and $1 for the witness, total $3 cash. Thank you, Mr. Doan.” Glenn could never figure out who or where the witness was, but decided not to hang around and ask questions.