Residents to help police clock speeders
Photo by Eric Keith / St. Joseph News-Press
Geri Dyche says she is willing to sit on her porch with a police-issued radar gun if it will slow people down on Pacific Street.
Speeders beware. You may soon be on your neighbor’s radar.
The St. Joseph Police Department will begin loaning radar guns to residents worried about the lead-foots in their neighborhood.
The new program, which is currently seeking sponsors, was prompted by the limited number of officers available to catch speeders and to get residents to take more ownership in their neighborhood.
Speeding complaints top the list of traffic concerns police receive, said Sgt. Bill McCammon, Traffic Unit supervisor.
“We don’t have the manpower to go out and dedicate the time needed to reduce speeding,” Mr. McCammon said. “This is a way to try to get residents more involved in taking care of their own problem, with our assistance, of course.”
Volunteers will run radar from their own cars as part of a two-person team in residential neighborhoods.
One person will clock any vehicle traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit, and the other person will write down the license plate and type of vehicle.
Later, if police find the license plate and vehicle description match, a warning letter will be sent to the car’s registered owner.
“It just informs them that their vehicle was observed speeding in this neighborhood, on this date, and reminding them they have to watch their speed, especially because it’s a residential area,” Mr. McCammon said.
Since 2003, a similar community policing program has been in place in Shawnee, Kan.
Shawnee Police Department Lt. Doug Orbin said neighborhood speed watchers have helped police target speed traps to true problem areas.
Volunteers are told to be as invisible as possible, park their cars legally, and call police if an alleged speeder confronts them.
“We can’t be everywhere like people want us to be,” Mr. Orbin said. “And this has helped us be where the problems are.”
And while some residents may be enthused to nail speeders, other concerned residents may be reluctant.
Under the program, police also will offer neighborhoods with speeding problems yard signs reading “Slow Down,” Mr. McCammon said.
Geri Dyche, a member of the Mitchell-Pacific 33-37 Neighborhood Watch Group, said she often sees motorists on her residential street in the 3500 block of Pacific Street traveling 10 or 20 mph over the 35 mph speed limit.
She and her husband hope to volunteer on their street, but she worries cars travel too fast to actually catch the license plate.
The Police Department is seeking sponsors to make an initial purchase of two $395 reconditioned radar guns to start the program. To be a neighbourhood speed watcher, contact the Traffic Unit at 271-5359.
Ahmad Safi can be reached
at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.
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Posted by gr8fan on May 8, 2008 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)What a joke? Why does Mr. Dyche's even need a radar gun if his keen senses can tell that people are traveling 15-20 mph over the limit. The St. Joseph PD has dropped to a new low! Most of the complainers are the elderly who have nothing better to do than sit on the porch and watch the wind blow. What makes you think they can even see a license plate? Even better, why don't we take some of the welfare people who don't belong there, and let them do this to earn their keep. Finally, I think I will sign up so I can target people I don't like and cars that I think "just look like they are going to fast". We'll get all of those "young whipper snappers" off the road. If they are offering tasers with the job, I'm in! Tase them bros, that will get them off the roads.
Posted by heritage on May 8, 2008 at 8:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)this is by far the most ridiculous idea i have ever heard. retribution is certainly going to factor into this program. if the city has the manpower to spend time checking if the "numbers" match, then why don't they just go out and do it themselves? what is gong to happen when some driver "spots" a volunteer and goes after them? Lame, Lame, Lame!
Posted by coyote on May 8, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)LOOK AT IT THIS WAY, IF YOU GET A LETTER IN THE MAIL, I CAN PUT IT IN MY SCRAPE BOOK! I MAY JUST GO FOR THE RECORD OF "REPREMAND LETTERS"!
Posted by biggieroth on May 8, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)gr8fan...Speeding is illegal isn't it? If you saw someone steeling something from your neighbor would you not report it? This is the same thing, people are just now given a tool to make their observations legitimate.
Posted by gladimgone on May 8, 2008 at 9:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)Sounds like a wonderful oppoprtunity for those who thrive on pettiness to mess with those on their &*^% lists. Is there any proof other than the word and scribblings of the "team"?
"One person will clock any vehicle traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit, and the other person will write down the license plate and type of vehicle."
Posted by rxyrch on May 8, 2008 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)Will these people be trained to KNOW what 10 mph over is in order to clock it?
this is a professionals job, not one for the public. if you see someone speeding up and down the street contact the police with the information they would need to find this person and investigate. however, just as with the reporter that was accosted by the person he videotaped, who will be there to protect the people with the radar guns against some nut who decides to go over and threaten or physically hurt someone. is the city going to be responsible for the medical bills etc.? i don't see this as a responsible thing to do.
Posted by njones60 on May 8, 2008 at 1:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)I agree biggieroth, a responsible person would report any other crime. Sure, this plan seems to have some questionable areas, but it could be a good preventative measure. As for the retaliation conspiracy theory - I just question whether or not a person is going to volunteer so much time to sit in an assigned spot with a list of people they're angry at, what kind of car they drive, and their license plate numbers, hoping that those people drive by so they can have them sent a "reprimand letter". Even if they just made it up and said their "nemesis" were speeding, how many times could we do that without SJPD catching on. Granted, I'm giving SJPD more credit than I probably should, but still...
Posted by Sam on May 9, 2008 at 3:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)It's about time something happens in the neighborhoods. I don't care how fast someone goes on a freeway, if they know how to drive. But residential neighborhoods need to be respected as such. In many areas, there are no sidewalks and people have no choice but to walk along the edge of the street. Idiots roaring by at 40+ in a 25 zone and blowing through Stop signs can't react quickly enough to correct for a mistake. Besides, how much faster are you going to get to that next stop? 3 or 4 seconds? Endangering a pedestrian's life for that is just stupid & selfish. To rxyrch - calling the cops does no good. Remember when Mark Sheehan caught some punks messing with his truck, got their vehicle description and license number? Nothing happened. Cops & politicians don't respond until after a crisis occurs where someone gets injured or killed. These citizens being proactive might help prevent a catastrophe. If states had actual driver's tests, at least 1/2 the people who apply would not receive a license. That would do many great things, but it'll never happen.
Posted by gr8fan on May 9, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)Biggieroth,
Posted by rxyrch on May 9, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)If speeding is illegal, then why don't they enforce one mph over the limit? If 10 mph over is the limit, then post it that way. And for the exact reason that is stated by most, I don't know that I would report every law being broken due to the wonderful world we live in and the fear of retaliation. Having $10000 worth of windows knocked out of my house while my spouse and I are out making a living is a high price to pay for being a good Samaritan. As for counting on the SJPD to do anything, that's why they are handing the ball off to the public. It might cut into their policing restraunts for delicious foods or the parking lot patrol when they are catching up with their buddies!
to sam, well the police are short handed now so like i said, who is going to protect the citizen with the radar gun when some punk who sees they have a radar gun in their hand, goes back to beat the hell out of them, threaten them or intimidate them. how long before a police car can get there to handle the situation. are they going to give the private citizens taser guns to go along with the radar guns? the reporter that did a story on this issue was accosted by a person he just taped, didn't say the guy was speeding or anything, just got his car on camera.
Posted by dondill on May 10, 2008 at 12:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)I would love to have a radar gun. People speed along my quiet little street like they're going to a fire. Something needs to be done about it. They are breaking the law and getting away with it. They could and do seriously injure people. I would love to help put a stop to these leadfoot drivers zipping up and down my streets.
Posted by heritage on May 10, 2008 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)there is a comment in "its your call" after which the N-P states that this program is not new.....that other cities have already formed "radar brigades". i think the key word here may be "OTHER cities". no way would there end up not being a really dangerous response here in stjomo if some speeder actually spots someone wielding a radar gun. i can see the train wreck coming.........
Posted by sunny13 on May 11, 2008 at 9:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)gr8fan - you've hit the nail on the head! Well written comment ~ I agree wholeheartedly; this decision my the SJPD is a recipe for disaster!!!!!
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