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HomeMy WebLinkAbout61A - Traffic Management - 2019 Policy & Procedure Page 1 of 5 Lexington Police Department Subject: Traffic Management Policy Number: 61A Accreditation Standards: Reference: 61.1.10 Effective Date: 11/1/11  New  Revised Revision Dates: 1/24/19 By Order of: Mark J. Corr, Chief of Police The Municipal Police Institute, Inc. (MPI) is a private, nonprofit charitable affiliate of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. MPI provides training and model policies and procedures for police agencies. This policy is an edited version of an MPI Policy. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES Police officers are charged with the responsibility of protecting life and property and providing police services to the citizens of their communities in the most efficient and effective manner possible. One of the greatest public safety issues facing each community is the ever-increasing problem created by traffic accidents and vehicular and pedestrian congestion created by our highly mobile society. While it is recognized that many integral components are needed to manage a successful roadway transportation system, the fact remains that police officers play a vital and highly visible role in maintaining a problem free driving environment. From this perspective, the Lexington Police Department believes that a statement of its policies concerning police traffic management is necessary and desirable. Adherence to the general principles contained in the Department's Policies is essential for the delivery of police traffic services that will favorably impact roadway transportation systems. PROCEDURES A. General Goals and Objectives 1. The primary goal of the Department's Traffic Management program is to promote the safe and expeditious flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic through: a. Effective and efficient traffic law enforcement; and b. Delivery of police traffic related services designed to reduce traffic collisions, and the injuries and fatalities that result. 61A Traffic Management Policy & Procedure Page 2 of 5 2. Traffic enforcement, education and the delivery of related traffic services will be applied in a consistent and courteous manner. In this way, the Department's goals can be achieved while maintaining a positive public attitude and acceptance of traffic enforcement and education. 3. The Department will promote programs that improve traffic and pedestrian safety through: a. Educating and motivating drivers and pedestrians to accept good safety habits; b. Quality roadway engineering; c. Drafting or amending traffic related legislation; and d. Focusing law enforcement efforts at those driving behaviors, which cause or contribute to motor vehicle accidents. e. Focusing enforcement activity to those areas where the public has expressed concern. 4. Whenever possible, the educational efforts will be conducted in cooperation with other town committees or departments such as the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, School Department, and the Lexington Center Committee. 5. The Department will develop written performance objectives for the delivery of police traffic related services. The objectives shall be reasonable, attainable, quantifiable and measurable where possible, yet provide sufficient flexibility to permit change as needed. 6. The community has consistently expressed concerns and complaints about motor vehicle infractions. There is an expectation that Lexington Police officers are actively enforcing the motor vehicle laws and regulations. In order to satisfy this expectation, ALL officers must routinely and regularly make traffic law enforcement a part of their patrol duties. B. Traffic Component and Functions 1. The Captain of Operations shall be responsible for the Department's Traffic component. 2. It shall be the Captain of Operations’ responsibility to formulate the Department's selective enforcement policy by analyzing the available traffic accident and enforcement data. This may be done with the Lieutenant liaison to the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee. See also Department policy (61B - Selective Traffic Enforcement). 3. The Captain of Operations shall be responsible for maintaining accurate and complete traffic records. 61A Traffic Management Policy & Procedure Page 3 of 5 4. The functions of the traffic component will include: a. Accident investigations; b. Analysis of accident reports and records; c. Selective enforcement programs; d. Use of traffic enforcement and maintenance. i.e. radar, Lidar traffic trailer; e. Breathalyzer equipment training and maintenance; f. Traffic direction and control; g. Parking enforcement; and h. Traffic safety education. 5. The responsibility for enforcing traffic laws and regulations shall be shared by all sworn officers. C. Traffic Component Objectives 1. The performance objectives of the traffic component will include: a. Reducing personal injury and property damage accidents through the use of directed patrols and aggressive selective enforcement. b. Reducing the incidents of operating under the influence of alcohol/drugs by concentrating law enforcement efforts and increasing public awareness. [61.1.10] c. Investigating and reporting accidents in accordance with the law and department policy. d. Maintaining a consistent level of enforcement of all motor vehicle laws. e. Reducing the number of pedestrian accidents through enforcement and education. f. Responding to calls for assistance. g. Responding to complaints of hazardous driving behavior. h. Performing other traffic related duties as assigned. 2. Specific goals and objectives for the traffic component shall be developed, reviewed and updated annually by the Captain of Operations, consistent with the Department goals outlined by the Chief of Police. D. Traffic Bureau 1. At the direction of the Captain of Operations, the Traffic Bureau Manager will prepare, review, collect and disseminate traffic related records. 61A Traffic Management Policy & Procedure Page 4 of 5 2. The principal goal of the Traffic Bureau is to: a. Maintain a traffic citation record system that provides timely and accurate information to line personnel who are performing traffic enforcement; b. Maintain a parking ticket record system that accurately documents parking enforcement as well as funds received for fees and fines; c. Promote and maintain the parking permit program in Lexington Center; d. Oversee staff responsible for parking enforcement and attended parking lots; e. Record all traffic accidents required by law and generate crash data reports for line personnel; f. Keep readily available educational material for drivers and pedestrians to promote good safety habits. 3. The review, processing, maintenance, distribution, release and purging of all traffic records shall be consistent with the Department's records policy. (See Department Policy 82A – Records Management) 4. The traffic record system will include the following: a. Traffic accident data (including reports, investigations and accident locations); b. Traffic enforcement data (including parking tickets, citations and enforcement locations); c. Roadway hazards; d. Traffic safety education reports; e. Traffic volume data and distribution reports (these reports maybe available from the Engineering Department); and f. Traffic enforcement activity reports. 5. The Traffic Bureau office will maintain non-criminal material. a. Motor vehicle accident reports, which involve a criminal complaint, will be referenced in the traffic records but maintained in the Central Records. b. All criminal court records, including citation reports and Judge's Hearing materials, will be maintained in Central Records. 6. All pertinent data from motor vehicle citations and traffic accident reports shall be entered into the Department's central computer system. This information is available to all command staff officers at any time. The report formats include the following: a. Motor Vehicle Accidents. Online reports are available for/with: 61A Traffic Management Policy & Procedure Page 5 of 5 i. Any time period after 10/01/90; ii. Any street, with or without cross streets; iii. Numbers and types of injuries; iv. Summaries of damage (+/- $1,000); v. Number of residents involved; vi. Weather conditions; vii. Accident types (vehicle in traffic, parked, etc.); viii. Hourly distribution; ix. Distribution by day of week; or x. Number of drivers cited (shown under at fault column "DRIV"). b. Motor Vehicle Citations. Detailed or summary reports are available for: i. Citations in numerical order; ii. Officer productivity; iii. Violations by chapter and section; or iv. Street location. 7. The Captain of Operations or a designee shall prepare monthly and annual traffic accident and traffic enforcement data summaries in a format determined by the Chief of Police.