OH - Granville police step up efforts to catch speeders

Granville police step up efforts to catch speeders
By DREW BRACKEN
Advocate Correspondent

GRANVILLE -- If you think Granville police have stepped up their efforts to catch speeders, you're right -- sort of.

Police say they've always tried to catch speeding motorists, but since December, they've raised the bar with their efforts.

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"Speeding has been an issue ever since I've been here," Granville Police Sergeant Dave Dudgeon said. "People in different areas call us and say 'everyone's flying down our street now,' so we'll pay a little extra attention to it. We've done that for years."
Chief Jim Mason, however, said a renewed effort exists in response to complaining residents who have told police too many drivers are speeding through their neighborhoods.

"We have instigated target enforcement zones," Mason said. "Officers are instructed on what these zones are, and they're given mandatory radar details to go out during their shift and run radar in those zones."

The Granville Police Department has 10 full-time and six part-time officers, as well as three reserves. They're now paying special attention to East and West Broadway, Burg Street, Cedar Street, North Pearl Street, East College Street, Jones Road, North Granger Street, New Burg Street, Newark-Granville Road, South Main Street, Ohio 16 and Cherry Valley Road, Summit Street, Welsh Hills Road, Bryn Du Drive and Longford Drive.

"We get permission from people who allow us to run radar out of their driveway, and we'll do that," Mason said. "Otherwise, you'll see us parked along the street in a visible area."

"We don't write a bunch of new tickets right away," Mason added. "We'll sit there and run radar and let people know we're there so they get an idea, maybe stop some people and warn them, and after that, we'll start writing tickets."

The speed trailers, recently visible on streets like East and West Broadway and Newark-Granville Road among others, are part of the effort.

"It's a PR kind of thing to make people aware of their speed," Dudgeon said.

The message is clear, Mason said.

"Slow down," he said. "You're not just going to see us on the state route, although you'll see us there. You're going to see us in neighborhoods where people have complained, and we're going to be writing tickets."