The Wiscasset Police Department has ramped up the number of traffic stops of speeding motorists in school zones after complaints from residents.
The agency on Monday released a report listing the traffic violations from the first half of April. During those two weeks, 54 motorists were stopped for speeding and 25 of those stops occurred in school zones. According to the report, 17 of the stops were made on Federal Street and eight on Gardiner Road, where schools are located.
In all, 23 citations were issued, but the report didn’t specify how many were given to the drivers stopped in school zones, specifically.
Going forward, Wiscasset Police Administrative Assistant Callie Sairservice said she will ask the police officers to include the traffic violation time of day in their reports.
Prior to April, the number of vehicles stopped for traffic violations was significantly lower.
In a previous Times Record article, Wiscasset Police Chief Larry Hesseltine said from Jan. 1- April 1, officers stopped 22 vehicles for speeding in school zones during morning hours and 16 vehicles during afternoon hours. Of the 38 vehicles pulled over, police gave citations to four drivers.
Police announced they would be cracking down on speeders after residents complained on social media.
“I know our police are doing what they can, but we need to do something before someone gets hurt,” Wiscasset parent Darrell Bryer wrote in a Facebook post in which he raised concerns about drivers speeding in all three of the town’s school zones earlier this month.
As additional safety precautions, the school department purchased and placed flashing yellow lights in both Wiscasset Middle and High School school zones on Gardiner Road. The school department also plans to install new school zone lighting and signage to use on Federal Street for Wiscasset Elementary School.
Hesseltine has also called on voters to fund a school resource officer position, which he said will augment the four, full-time officer positions and reinforce traffic safety near schools.
Sairservice said police will issue a new report on traffic stops every two weeks to update residents.
“We are trying to get the word out that people are being stopped and issued citations for traffic violations. And we are addressing the speeding concerns in both the school zones and other areas of Wiscasset,” she said.
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