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Q: I want to know why, when the police do a crosswalk sting, they provide information about when and where it will be. Wouldn't it be better if people didn't know?
Thursday, May 31, 2007 | No comments posted.
A: Keeping crosswalk sting times and locations secret would be useful if the goal of the program were to issue citations. But as North Bend Police Chief Steve Scibelli said, the objective is not to make money. Rather, it is to make crossing city streets less hazardous for pedestrians.
“Our purpose is not to write citations ... It is to bring awareness for crosswalk laws so people on their own will stop for pedestrians,” he said.
Officer Bill Downing said the department also is required to publicize the events by the state, which provides the grant funding for the stings.
“Part of the grant deal is they want it to be out in the public,” he said. “We want people to know what the law is.”
For the record, motorists are required to stop for pedestrians who are crossing the street in a crosswalk. A driver may not resume traveling until all pedestrians have reached the curb or are at least 6 feet out of his lane.
And even though notices are posted in media and in the area where the sting will take place, Downing said that doesn't keep people from breaking the law.
“Even though we put the notice out there, a lot of people don't remember what they read in the paper that morning,” he said.
“Our purpose is not to write citations ... It is to bring awareness for crosswalk laws so people on their own will stop for pedestrians,” he said.
Officer Bill Downing said the department also is required to publicize the events by the state, which provides the grant funding for the stings.
“Part of the grant deal is they want it to be out in the public,” he said. “We want people to know what the law is.”
For the record, motorists are required to stop for pedestrians who are crossing the street in a crosswalk. A driver may not resume traveling until all pedestrians have reached the curb or are at least 6 feet out of his lane.
And even though notices are posted in media and in the area where the sting will take place, Downing said that doesn't keep people from breaking the law.
“Even though we put the notice out there, a lot of people don't remember what they read in the paper that morning,” he said.
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