SPEED ENFORCEMENT

Enforcement:

When the Shelburne Police Department first instituted its speed enforcement program it was targeted towards the high traffic corridors in and around Shelburne.  Citizen complaints, officer knowledge and collision data supplied by our records and various other methods assisted us in identifying these problem areas.

If a complaint about speeders is received the Traffic Safety Coordinator is assigned to check on the problem.  If immediate enforcement can alleviate the particular problem, it is conducted, or we set up a Speed Cart for a period of time to help with enforcement and education of the public.  The Speed Cart has helped to breakdown the location, day and time that the highest numbers of violations occur.  Our patrol division will then use this information to conduct a directed patrol effort at that location.

After several weeks of periodic coverage, we put the Speed Cart back at the same location to conduct a follow-up survey.  If the problem has been alleviated, periodic checks are made.  If the problem reoccurs, anther concentrated enforcement effort is started.  The Shelburne Police Department considers the traffic safety problems in neighborhoods as a quality of life issue.  Through concentrated enforcement over several years, these problem areas have been brought under control and only require periodic enforcement.  Officers, on daily patrol, conduct traffic enforcement in these areas as part of their regular duties.

Training:

All officers are trained in the use of Doppler Radar and certified to give visual speed estimates of motor vehicles with an accuracy of within five mules per hour of the vehicles actual speed.  While officers use radar on normal patrols as well as directed patrols, they are encouraged to concentrate efforts on "high-incident" locations.

In December 2000, we purchased a LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING (LIDAR) unit as an additional and more accurate tool for motor vehicle speed enforcement.  Shelburne Police Department has received two additional LIDAR units through participation in the Vermont "Click-It or Ticket" campaigns.  All LIDAR units are used on routine as well as directed patrols.  All Shelburne officers have been trained in the use of Laser Technology, its abilities and limitations.

All Shelburne officers have been trained in the set-up, and dismantling of the Shelburne Police Department Speed Cart, and the road tubes which count traffic pattern information.  The Speed Cart are set-up by the officers per the direction of the Traffic Safety Coordinator.  The Traffic Safety Coordinator, as well as several officers and administrative staff have also been trained in the administration of the data that is downloadable from the Speed Cart and Road Tubes.  This data is regularly analyzed to identify areas which need additional enforcement by our officers.