The Reedley
Police Department Patrol Division is staffed with the
best Men and Women available in law enforcement. This
department prides itself on having a family type atmosphere
and Officers constantly striving for perfection.
While
on patrol Officers are responsible for responding to
calls for service, crime deterrence, public information
and assistance, traffic and crowd control, and incident
investigation: apprehend and arrest suspects; interview
witnesses; collect and preserve crime scene evidence;
prepare reports and records; administer first aid; perform
subpoena and warrant service; and other related duties
as required.
The
City of Reedley is in the middle of a speed dilemma. Although
the number of traffic collisions, non-injury as well as
injury, have decreased in recent years, we are seeing an
increase in the numbers of people injured in these collisions,
as well as a big increase in fatalities. A study of collisions
and citations over the past three years has revealed that
45% of our injury collisions occur on 11% of our total
roadway surfaces. The streets found to be the main contributors
to these figures are Manning Avenue, Reed Avenue, Dinuba
Avenue, Eleventh Street, "G" Street, and "I" Street.
In looking into the compiled statistics, 22350 CVC - unsafe
speed was found to be the prevalent violation in most of
the collisions and citations issued. Speeding citations
accounted for 35% of all citations issued in 1996, with
most of the citations being issued on the streets listed
above, and yet it remains the main causation of most injury
collisions on those same streets.
Although Reedley would be considered a smaller city as
compared to Fresno or Visalia, we have seen a dramatic increase
in the number of people killed this last year. In 1994 and
1995, each year has one person killed in traffic collisions.
In 1996, that number increased 100%, from one to two persons
killed. In looking at this figure compared to other years,
in 1994 there was one death for every 61 injury collisions,
in 1995 there was one death in every 79 injury collisions
based on vehicle miles traveled.
The top ten speed locations within the City of Reedley
are Manning Avenue, Parlier Avenue, "I" Street,
Reed Avenue, Dinuba Avenue, North Avenue, East Avenue, Buttonwillow
Avenue, Olson Avenue, and "G" Street.
The Reedley Police Department enforces traffic laws as
part of the routine duties of patrol officers as previously
mentioned. During 1996, patrol officers enforced seat belt
laws issuing minimal citations for this violation, enforcing
speed laws issuing 466 citations for this violation. Also
while enforcing DUI laws, we arrested 218 drivers as well
as participated in a multi-agency DUI task force that started
in 1994. The task force, along with the DUI checkpoints that
our agency conducts, has had a visible effect on seatbelt
enforcement and some effect on DUI reduction.
The Reedley Police Department has taken innovative and
pro-active action in the fight to obtain traffic law compliance
and collisions reduction. Even though we appear to have a
one year reduction in collisions, the main cause of collisions
is still speed violations despite a record number of citations
issued for those violations.
In 1997 the City of Reedley requested a Grant from the
State of California Office of Traffic Safety to purchase
a radar trailer and 5 mobile radar's. Upon reviewing the
request OTS approved the grant and allowed for the purchase
of the required equipment. With the traffic Sergeant heading
this project we were able to purchase the mobile radar's
from MPH Industries in Kentucky. The Radar Trailer was purchased
from Mighty Movers out of Corona, California.
Patrol