LUBBOCK, Texas — Officer Christopher King of the Lubbock Police Division focuses on investigating main crash scenes. He usually patrols the highways for rushing, as effectively. To him, these obligations are carefully associated.
“The extra I can do my half to forestall extra caseloads for my part, simply to assist protect life, I’m all about that,” Officer King stated.
King had a busy 12 months in 2021. LPD launched the most recent crime knowledge Wednesday, displaying a hanging enhance in visitors crimes and deaths final 12 months. Citations for visitors violations elevated 40 p.c over 2020, and DWI arrests had been up 45 p.c. 3,938 individuals had been injured on Lubbock roadways and 47 individuals died in accidents — just below a fourth of them pedestrians.
That’s why LPD is notifying drivers of their ‘focused enforcement’ technique to tamp down on rushing in areas the place they see it incessantly — together with South and West Loop 289 and the Marsha Sharp Freeway.
In about an hour and a half in the course of the ride-along, Officer King pulled over three drivers for rushing. All had been touring not less than 10 miles per hour over the posted restrict, a threshold King stated is his minimal to tug somebody over. King stated he pulls over a median of 6 to 10 individuals on a typical shift.
“We perceive that individuals have an urgency to get to the place they’re going, however they’ve to appreciate slowing down could get you there safer than rushing,” he stated.
King opted to let every driver off with a warning, and didn’t fret when his radar would go lengthy stretches with out catching speeders – that’s the purpose, in spite of everything. King stated their presence is sufficient to make the roadways safer, and the elevated enforcement is about safety, not punishment.
“Be cognizant of your environment… it’s not our purpose to take all people we see to jail. It’s not our precedence to put in writing a ticket to each particular person we are available contact with,” Officer King stated. “Our accountability is to guard everybody locally, no matter when you’ve got a legal file, regardless in the event you personal companies within the city.
“Nobody is exempt from the regulation. Simply be cognizant, drive secure, get there safely the place you should be. And simply watch out of different drivers, since you’re not simply on the roadway by your self.”
