Title
2018 TRAFFIC UNIT QUARTER 1 & QUARTER 2 SUMMARY
Background
The Blaine Police Department Traffic Unit began operations on June 14, 2017 with the focus of addressing neighborhood traffic concerns.
The Traffic Unit receives traffic complaints from numerous sources and established a protocol for managing, documenting, and addressing the complaints that are received. A focus of the Traffic Unit was closing the communication gap and contacting complainants to keep them appraised of what has occurred to address their concerns. Another area that has been developed is the working relationship with the Blaine Police Department CSO Division and City of Blaine Engineering Department. This has been essential for the gathering of accurate data and working towards accomplishing the missions guided by the City of Blaine Traffic Commission.
From Jan, 1, 2018 to June 30th, 2018 the Blaine Police Department received 28 documented traffic complaint reports. We currently have 19 active Traffic Enforcement Zones which were targeted during this same time frame. Listed below are the total results from the traffic enforcement efforts in those 19 zones by both patrol and the traffic unit, including 105th Ave construction zone:
• 435.5 hours worked
• 814 Traffic Stops
• 402 Citations
• 520 Warnings
• 3 Arrests
• 53 Locals / 769 Non-Locals
• 2 juveniles / 812 adults
School zone enforcement continued during this time until the end of school in early June. This was done to continue to reinforce safe driving habits with students, parents, and passers through to keep children safe. The below areas were monitored:
• Northdale Middle School (11100 blk - 11300 blk of University Ave)
• University Avenue Elementary School
• Blaine High School
• Roosevelt Middle School
• Johnsville Middle School
• Centennial High School
Listed below are the total results from the school zone traffic enforcement efforts by patrol and the traffic unit:
• 65.5 hours worked
• 146 traffic stops
• 96 citations
• 60 warnings
• 5 arrests
• 1 local / 145 Non-Locals
• 0 juveniles / 146 adults
Officer Zach Johnson and Officer Matt Langreck continued their assignment in the Traffic Unit. When Officer Johnson was re-assigned to the Field Training Program this summer, Officer Daniel Stefczak was temporarily assigned to the traffic unit in Officer Johnson’s place. Listed below is a summary of the enforcement efforts of the Traffic Unit alone from Jan. 1- June 30, 2018.
• 1,311 Traffic Stops
• 865 citations
• 25 arrests
Officer Johnson, Langreck, and Stefczak have been having a significant impact addressing traffic concerns in the City, especially in residential areas. On numerous occasions residents have been stopping to thank them for their efforts and giving them thumbs up. We had set the following program goals for 2018 in late 2017 and have accomplished most of them below:
• Traffic Unit Officers presenting “Point of Impact” material at drivers education programs in Blaine consisting of a class room presentation to students and a presentation at parents night.
• Work with local businesses to display traffic safety messages on their digital billboards during specific enforcement waves in 2018. The billboard spreadsheet has been completely updated and was a key in being awarded the 2019 DWI Officer TZD grant.
• Implement and deploy new JAMAR Tech Black Cat traffic / speed monitoring equipment this spring. We have run into significant issues and problems getting these units up and running. We understand as a unit just how critical these covert data collection devices will be to our unit’s future effectiveness. Now that Officer Johnson has returned to the traffic unit here in late July, he is making getting these units up and running as his first priority.
• Continue school zone enforcement and begin assisting with the school patrol program.
• Assisted with the Arrive Alive Program this Spring 2018.
As we move forward into the 3rd and 4th Quarters of year 2018, our current goals for the traffic unit are as follows:
• Consistently deploy and utilize data from the JAMAR Tech Black Cat traffic / speed monitoring equipment to increase the unit’s effectiveness.
• Return to targeting our school zones once school starts back up in early September with several traffic unit / on duty patrol group speed saturations.
• Post assignment, fill assignment, finalize all grant paperwork and OTS (Office of Traffic Safety) requirements, and start the new 2019 TZD DWI officer on October 1st, 2018. It is my understanding that it is the Blaine PD’s command staff plan to assign this new FT officers position to our traffic unit.
Recommendation
Take public comment at the next Traffic Commission meeting and/or by motion, send any recommendations to City Council.