Officers will
be focusing on traffic violations more in Lewiston.
LEWISTON – Police will target speeders, red-light runners and other traffic scofflaws beginning in March.
The city will dedicate three officers to a special enforcement team. They won’t have regular patrol duties but will focus on projects and enforcement problems in specific areas. Traffic control will be a big part of that, according to Chief William Welch.
“That’s the majority of the complaints we get from the public directly and through city councilors,” Welch said. “We have a problem with speeding and red lights, and generally aggressive driving.”
Patrol officers don’t spend much time doing traffic control, he said.
“We respond to 40,000 to 45,000 calls per year,” Welch said. “In between, we have to try and do some traffic stops, too. It’s pretty hit-or-miss.”
That will change. Sgt. Mark Cornelio will lead two patrol officers and they will target problem areas such as schools, intersections and stretches of roads known for speeders.
These officers won’t respond to normal calls. They will also work as liaisons with violent crime and drug task forces. But traffic will be their main job, Welch said.
“In fact, we’ve outfitted a special cruiser just for traffic enforcement,” he said. “It has the radar up and running, and it’ll have all the signs and equipment they might need.”
The city has also printed up courtesy tickets that list the fines for speeding. Officers will hand those out with warnings.
“People think it’s like a $25 or $50 fine,” Welch said. “They don’t realize that the fine for speeding 15 mph over the limit is up to $170. We think getting that information out will help us, too.”
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