Posted on January 3, 2015 at 7:18 pm by Clay Curtin
During 2014, for the first time in many years, the police department deployed two full-time traffic officers throughout the City, resulting in an overall 10% decrease in collisions. Both officers focused on the Strategic Traffic Plan, which included traffic enforcement around all Menlo Park schools. Each school was randomly scheduled multiple times for traffic enforcement in the morning and afternoon. Below is the number of enforcement details at each school:
- Belle Haven Elementary: 19 deployments
- Willow Oaks Elementary: 15 deployments
- Nativity School: 5 deployments
- Oak Knoll Elementary: 24 traffic and 13 parking deployments
- Hillview Middle School: 17 deployments
- La Entrada Middle School: 13 deployments
By design, the Strategic Traffic Plan was also to be proactive in dealing with traffic complaints that come in from residents throughout the city.
In addition to police enforcement efforts, Officers Lacy and Byars also educated students and parents about bicycle safety and sharing the road during their enforcement around the schools. The administrators, teachers, parents, and students expressed appreciation for the City's continued efforts. All of this resulted in an overall 10% decrease in collisions.