Brinworld: citizens with speed-radar

[Khoder bin Hakkin]

http://web.star-telegram.com/content/fortworth/2001/10/01/arlnews/fw010408-1001-XB001-speeders.htm

 ARLINGTON - Alice Pelfrey has taken aim at speeders in her
neighborhood, and her efforts have really slowed them down.

 Armed with a police radar gun and a clipboard, Pelfrey and other Plaza
Heights Citizens on Patrol members have been tracking violators as part
of an Arlington Police Department pilot program designed to reduce
speeding violations in neighborhoods.

 "As long as we were doing it, they were slowed down and they stayed
slowed down for a while," Pelfrey said. "If we keep it up, they're going
to get the idea that we're set up and that somebody is going to be
watching."

 The East Arlington Police Station test program involving Plaza Heights,
Colonial Estates and Valley View Citizens on Patrol groups ended this
month. Modeled after an Arlington County, Va., program, resident groups
are loaned radar guns and trained to log the speeds and license plate
numbers of violators in their neighborhoods. The data helps the Police
Department determine where more patrol officers or speed limit signs are
needed, Lt. Carolyn Allen said.

 The program is expected to become citywide next year, she said.

 "The citizens have told us their concerns about traffic and speeding,"
Allen said. "This is a way for them to get involved in their own
neighborhoods and do something about it."

 The groups, clearly identified as speed monitors with signs and
jackets, set up in areas approved by the department. The information
collected is turned in to the Police Department, which then mails
warning letters to those caught stating the speed, date and location of
the violations. During the six neighborhood monitoring operations, the
department notified 125 people.

 "More than likely, once they get a letter they're going to think twice
about coming down this street speeding because they're not going to know
whether we're there or not," Pelfrey said.

 Although violators in the test program received only warnings, Allen
said she plans to station plainclothes police officers with the groups
so that speeding violators can be stopped and issued citations.

 According to collected data, the average speed in 30 mph zones ranged
from 35.5 to 46 mph. In the 35 mph zones, the average speed was about 43
mph. The highest speed, clocked by Colonial Estates East Citizens on
Patrol group, was 62 mph in a 30 mph zone.

 "People came up and said they were really glad to see us," said Linda
White, a Colonial Estates group coordinator. "In the beginning, we
expected people to be negative, and that really hasn't happened."

 Pelfrey said her group only had one negative experience - when a person
drove by and gave members an obscene hand gesture. But most of the
feedback was positive, she said.

 "We had a lot of people in the neighborhood that waved and honked their
horn," Pelfrey said. "A lot of people said 'Go for it. Set up in our
yard if you want to.' "