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Police working to prevent traffic fatalities in Northeast Command

Page Last Updated: Thursday July 29, 2010 4:49pm PDT

Denise Spidle reporting

Deadly crashes at high speeds are on the rise in the northeast part of the valley, with six fatal crashes on just one road this year alone.

Now, in an effort to save lives, Metro Police are writing a record number of tickets. Although it may make them less popular, police would rather slap a speeder with a fine than put them in a body bag.

Overall, fatal accidents are down about 22 percent in Metro’s jurisdiction. But this isn’t the story in each of the department’s commands.

In the northeast, fatal accidents surged from three in 2009 to eleven so far this year, an increase of 267 percent. After looking at their reports, Metro found that six of these eleven crashes happened on Lamb between Charleston and Las Vegas Boulevard.

So when Metro isn’t answering calls for help, patrol officers are focusing extra attention along this stretch of road.

“We wrote 6,000 tickets in the last four months,” says Captain Chris Darcy, Northeast Area Command. “Half of those were moving violations. We're going to be conducting some real strict enforcement (and) won't be giving people as many breaks. We want to send the message that we need to slow down when you're driving in this area command.”

Metro Police are on heavy patrol in these danger zones, pulling people over driving too fast, weaving in and out of traffic, and running red lights.

“That’s a key indicator that that's where we really need to be writing some tickets and stopping some people. We set up on US 95 because what often happens (is) they'll speed down 95, get off on Charleston, take Charleston to Lamb and head northbound on Lamb.”

And they aren’t issuing any warnings, just citations.

“We wrote over 400 tickets this last week.”

Captain Darcy says although the northeast has had bad years like this before, it isn’t the sign of a major problem. But police are taking action and argue that these tickets remind drivers to slow down on open roads where higher speeds cause more fatal crashes.

“It will help save lives,” says Captain Darcy. “That's our goal: to save lives. And we're asking the community's help. We're asking that you drive the speed limit, that you don't drive recklessly.”

Captain Darcy says the visible police presence also encourages drivers to obey the traffic laws, even if they don’t get pulled over.

Metro Police also want to remind commuters that when exiting a highway, make sure to slow down to the speed limit. People tend to maintain high speeds and police have pulled over multiple cars going 60 or 70 miles per hour.

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COMMENTS

ROBERT H.

July 29, 2010 4:50pm PDT

Mark as Offensive

This is true. It's an obstacle course trying to manuever around Metro's cars as they block the road writing citations. It's also important to keep a close watch on the rear view mirror as they race and swerve around you at 90mph.

Penalties range from $60 all the way up to getting shot.

MICHAEL B.

July 29, 2010 5:04pm PDT

Mark as Offensive

I can understand them writting tickets but 400 tickets given out in one area sounds a bit much, are we sure they (the police) are not tring to build a new police station off the tickets......sounds to me like alot of compalints coming due on lasvegascomplaints.com or they will keep writting as long as they can, 400 in one area is way to much in this economy ... these people could use that money to pay rent or other bills but again what does the police care...Job security for them.