NCJ Number
124629
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Dated: (July 1990) Pages: 48-50
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Aggressive traffic enforcement is critical for a variety of reasons.
Abstract
Traffic accidents cause death and injury, place a burden on the public welfare system and medical insurance providers, and are responsible for the rising costs of automobile collision and liability insurance. There are many reasons why law enforcement is becoming less effective in controlling injury and economic loss from automobile accidents. Since there is little that can be done about many of these problems, the author suggests dealing with a manageable problem-productivity. To practice more effective traffic enforcement it is necessary to get back to the basics. This includes a good traffic records system, a training program that emphasizes the importance and purpose of traffic enforcement, stressing to officers the importance of traffic enforcement, and involving officers in community relations efforts in the field of highway safety. Two more sophisticated management techniques that can be employed are using statistics to determine where and when preventable accidents will occur, using directed patrols to intercept the violators, and applying the principles of problem-oriented policing. This method uncovers public safety problems using environmental scanning and brainstorming by staff and line officers; the problem is brought under control by using innovative and nontraditional techniques which involve the police, the public, and the community agencies.