61 - Traffic Safety - 2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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61 – Traffic Safety Policy & Procedure Page 2 of 19 can meet these goals through a combination of education, enforcement, engineering, and public support. With the ever-increasing number of vehicles and operators on the roadways, traffic crashes will continue to occur. In an effort to limit the likelihood of collisions, it is essential to understand the importance of crash investigation and reporting. Data from such are the prime source of information for crash prevention programs. It is therefore imperative that proper information be gathered for use in planning, evaluating, and implementing efforts to achieve roadway / highway safety goals. It is the policy of the Lexington Police Department to:  Reduce traffic collisions, fatalities, and injuries;  Facilitate the safe and expeditious movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic;  Respond to and document traffic crashes according to this policy; and  Make motor vehicle stops based solely on the violation observed, not on the profile of the vehicle’s occupants. PROCEDURES A. General Traffic Enforcement 1. Enforcement a. The Department is definitely and unequivocally opposed to preferential treatment pertaining to adjudication of traffic cases in any manner by any agency, official, or person. b. The ultimate objective of enforcement is to favorably alter the violator's future driving behavior, thus fostering a climate of safe driving throughout the community. c. Whereas traffic enforcement does involve a punitive monetary punishment, the Department will not endorse any traffic enforcement initiative where the purpose is to generate revenue. d. The number of citations issued by an officer shall not be the sole basis of determining an officer's traffic enforcement efforts. The quality of the citations, i.e., collisions and injury-causing types of violations and other elements will be considered. The number of citations issued will only be one part of the total picture that goes to the overall evaluation. e. Primary enforcement of traffic laws, rules and regulations will be accomplished overtly; that is with the assistance of marked units including cruisers, motor units and by officers on foot patrol. Generally speaking the Lexington Police Department will not engage in covert enforcement although, when overt enforcement activity does not accomplish objectives, covert enforcement through the use of an unmarked unit or thru the use of an unmarked unit in conjunction with a marked unit may be authorized by the Chief of Police or his/her designee.