NCJ Number
62981
Date Published
1979
Length
45 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY BY THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT (CALIFORNIA) TO DETERMINE WHAT IMPACT, IF ANY, HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE SODIUM STREETLIGHTING HAS ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
Abstract
THE STUDY REQUEST INITIATED IN MARCH 1979 BY THE CITY COUNCIL WAS PART OF A CONSIDERATION OF EVENTUAL CONVERSION OF ALL SAN JOSE STREETLIGHTING TO HIGH OR LOW PRESSURE SODIUM FIXTURES TO SAVE ELECTRICITY COST. THE CONCERN OF THE COUNCIL WAS TO INSURE THAT THE CONVERSION WOULD NOT RESULT IN INCREASED PROBLEMS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE STUDY CONSISTED OF A LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACT OF HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE LIGHTING, A SURVEY OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN CITIES HAVING EITHER HIGH OR LOW PRESSURE SODIUM LIGHTING TO DETERMINE IMPACT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND A SURVEY OF SAN JOSE OFFICERS TO DETERMINE THEIR VIEWS OF THE IMPACTS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OF THE HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE SODIUM LIGHTING (WHICH EXISTS IN TEST AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY). CONSIDERING ALL SOURCES OF INFORMATION REVIEWED, THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS WERE DRAWN: (1) BOTH HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE SODIUM STREETLIGHTS AID LAW ENFORCEMENT, BECAUSE, ASSUMING ADEQUATE WATTAGE, THEY INCREASE OR DISBURSE LIGHT; (2) WHILE SAN JOSE OFFICERS GENERALLY BELIEVE THAT LOW PRESSURE SODIUM LIGHTING WOULD MAKE THEIR JOB MORE DIFFICULT, THEY DO NOT RATE IT AS A HAZARD. OVERALL EVIDENCE INDICATES, THEREFORE, THAT NEITHER OF THE TWO TYPES OF LIGHTING WOULD HAVE SERIOUS NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT. DETAILED STUDY DATA ARE PROVIDED IN THE APPENDIXES. (RCB)