HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8149 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8149
TEgEO August 11 1998
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council g
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On June 30, 1998 (M&C P-8639), the City Council approved the use of awarded assets to
purchase thirty-six new radar units for the Police Department. The radar units will be utilized
within the Field Operations Bureau. Each of the twelve Neighborhood Policing Districts will be
assigned three radar units for use in Strategic Traffic Enforcement projects. The radar units will
be utilized by patrol officers and neighborhood patrol officers (NPOs). Proactive traffic
enforcement is an important tool for crime prevention and suppression, as well as for community
policing.
Strategic traffic enforcement includes enforcement proportional to traffic accidents with respect
to time, place, type of violations, violators and weight of consequences. Traffic enforcement will
consist of the beat officer and NPO working together in targeted areas identified by the Traffic
Division as high incident/hazardous locations or devoting their efforts to specific neighborhoods
in response to citizen inquiries.
The primary concern is for the enforcement of traffic laws and crime deterrence with the ultimate
goal being the safe, efficient movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic within the city. The
number of arrests made by officers on previous traffic enforcement details has demonstrated the
benefit of routine traffic enforcement as an effective countermeasure against crime, as well as
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improving traffic safety. Statistics were collected which showed the impact of a traffic detail in
the West Division on Part I crime. During a two month period, seven beats with extra traffic
enforcement showed almost twice the rate of decrease in theft offenses. Use of these radar units
for traffic enforcement in higher crime areas is a second component of strategic traffic
enforcement.
The use of the radar units by patrol officers and NPOs for traffic enforcement can have positive
effects on public opinion, traffic safety, and crime reduction. The benefits include:
• Increased public awareness and support for traffic enforcement details.
• Increased enforcement of traffic violations and reduction of traffic-related accidents.
• Increased emphasis on traffic-related complaints by patrol officers.
• Team enforcement with patrol officers and NPOs working together to enforce traffic laws at
locations where drivers have been reported by citizens as engaging in aggressive, dangerous
driving.
• Improved action on citizen concerns of traffic violations and problem areas,
• Crime deterrence due to the high visibility of traffic stops.
If you would like additional information please call Tom Windham, Chief of Police or Libby
Watson, Assistant City Manager.
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ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS