Speeders, beware: city to crack down
By Michele Gerlach

The Andalusia City Council agreed Tuesday to add a new member to the Andalusia Police Department so that at least one officer can devote all of his time to enforcing the city's speed laws.

Mayor Jerry Andrews said that, on the recommendation of Police Chief Wilbur Williams, the department will designate one officer to work traffic only. That officer will work eight hours a day on a flex schedule so that he can be assigned to "hot spots" where speeding seems to be a problem.

Andrews said that the department will have to purchase an additional vehicle when a new officer is hired, and estimates the cost will be $28,000.

"As we've discussed, when you got an officer in patrol, he can set up to write tickets. But if he gets a call on a domestic or a barking dog, he's got to leave and take the call.

"This officer will do nothing but traffic," Williams said.

Council members also discussed the possibility of increase the fines of those caught speeding. However, city attorney Tom Albritton advised that more research is needed before that is done.

Councilman Terry Powell said he recently talked with the police chief about speeding problems on East Three Notch.

"He told me they stopped six people in one day (for speeding) and the slowest was going 56 miles per hour. That's in a 30 mile-per-hour zone."