IL - Traffic patrols increased for holiday

Traffic patrols increased for holiday
By ANN NICCUM, aniccum@edwpub.net
11/12/2007
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The Edwardsville Police Department will start up its second round of traffic enforcement on Monday.

Lt. Scott Evers said the department will have additional officers on duty from Nov. 12 to 25.

The dates will capture the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and the weekend before and after.

During the 14-day period, there will be a zero tolerance policy in effect for all alcohol related violations and seat belt/child safety restraint violations.

In addition, the department will set up seat belt enforcement zones at various locations in the city.

Evers said the special traffic enforcement period is part of a grant program offered through the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).

During this time, he said the grant allows the department to bring in additional officers on duty just for traffic enforcement for violations like speeding or driving under influence (DUI).

Evers said IDOT pays for the additional costs to have officers on overtime.

IDOT offers the grant in hopes to reduce alcohol violations, traffic crash injuries and fatalities.

Evers said the department has participated in the program for a few years now and just concluded the first in the new fiscal year's series last Saturday.

From Oct. 20 to Nov. 3, he said the department netted more traffic violations, due to the extra staff.

The officers on overtime issued seven DUIs and 56 other traffic violations and the officers on regular patrol issued six DUIs and 179 traffic citations.

There were no fatalities or serious alcohol related traffic accidents during the traffic enforcement period.

Evers said the department did a great job during the last period.

"It was very successful, thanks to the hard work of the officers," Evers said. "We had quite a few arrests and are happy with the results."

The program's current fiscal year started on Oct. 1 and will continue until next September.