Shreveport Police Department

PO Box P · Shreveport, LA 71161 · 318/673-6933 · Fax: 318/673-6914

www.ci.shreveport.la.us/dept/police/spdnews

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: Feb. 10, 2000

Contact: Cindy Chadwick

318/673-6932

Police increase presence at school zones, intersections

Shreveport Police have two words of advice if you are traveling through the city's school zones or major intersections: SLOW DOWN! The department is increasing its presence at these locations to help reduce the number of accidents reported this year.

Fewer crashes is a goal of the Patrol and Traffic bureaus after ending 1999 with an increase in injury accidents. There were 2,868 injury accidents last year compared to 2,750 in 1998. The number of traffic fatalities also increased from 18 to 39.

Alcohol and speed were the contributing factors in more than half of the total accidents reported in 1999. To help crack down on drunk drivers and speeders, the department has assigned more officers to look for violators. Traffic units plan to use state grant money to conduct monthly operations targeting traffic offenders,and community liaison officers and patrol officers recently completed training to operate handheld RADAR units. When time allows they'll assist Traffic units by monitoring problem areas like school zones, residential areas and high-traffic intersections.

On Wednesday, the police department distributed eight newly purchased RADAR units to officers in the four patrol areas. They'll begin enforcement efforts immediately.

For the first three days of this week, 12 patrol officers and clos, basic radar fundamentals, case laws, one and half days on the street practicing, certified to operate RADAR,

Increase police presence at school zones and reduce accidents at top 10 accident occurring intersections

Train and assign clos and officers to prolbme school zones to utlize radar enforcement.

Utlize crash report statistics to develop traffic enforcement acitivities relative to crash frequencies at intersections.

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