WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. April 12, 2004: The White Plains Department of Public Safety has announced that after a year of conducting Operation Safe Streets, the police effort at enforcing speed limits, cell phone and seatbelt violations that began last April, they have issued 20% more summonses over the same period last year for a total of 17, 254 total summonses.

OPERATION SAFE STREETS IN ACTION ON NORTH BROADWAY. Photo from WPCNR News Archive.

According to Inspector Daniel Jackson, who ran the numbers at WPCNR's request, Operation Safe Streets has had an effect:

"My officers did comment the other day during a safety checkpoint for Seatbelt Safety Week, that seatbelt compliance was high. That's an encouraging comment since our ultimate goal is voluntary compliance, not enforcement. "

Jackson said that with the warm weather about to arrive this Spring, Operation Safe Streets will continue with electronic speed signs temporarily on display in residential neighborhoods, and what Officer Jackson calls "following them up with enforcement efforts in the same area. This is done with a focus on keeping the neighborhood streets safe for the children."

Regarding cell phone violations, Inspector Jackson said, "We are hoping that the recent publicity on cell phone enforcement will decrease the number of incidents involving cell phones. (By incidents, I mean both summons and accident incidents.)

The total number of summons for speeding, cellphone and seatbelt violations in one year since Operation Safe Streets began is 17,254.

5,007 were issued for speeding , an average of 415 Speeding Tickets a month, (100 a week), at an minimum cost of a $70 fine, resulting in a minimum WPCNR-estimated revenue of $350,000 in fines.

1,627 cell phone violations were written. At $100 a ticket for a cellphone violation, that is a WPCNR- estimated $162,700 in revenue possibly collected on cell phone vios.

There were 1,634 summonses issued for seatbelts. With a fine of $50 plus points on a seatbelt violation, that is an estimated $81,700 in summons revenues on seatbelts alone.

WHAT A SUMMONS LOOKS LIKE. Photo from WPCNR News Archive.