Police Traffic Unit

Pursues Goal Of Safer Roads

By Andrew Gorosko

The police department’s traffic enforcement unit has continued its work in town as the winter approaches, targeting local roads that carry speeding motorists and that have a history of motor vehicle accidents, according to police Lieutenant George Sinko, who oversees the unit.

The traffic unit made more than 109 motor vehicle stops during November, primarily in cases of speeding, failure to wear seatbelts, and the illegal use of handheld cellphones, according to the lieutenant.

From November 17 through 21, the traffic unit participated in a regional traffic squad with police officers from the towns of Brookfield, Bethel, and Redding. The group focused on seatbelt enforcement as part of the national “Click It or Ticket” seatbelt enforcement project.

Also, the Newtown police department mounted specialized roving patrols during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in a heightened program of drunken driving enforcement, Lt Sinko said.

The police department’s large radar-based speed display, known as the “speed trailer,” has been positioned in various locations around town as a way to make motorists aware of their speed as they approach the device. Typically, the speed limit in a given area is posted alongside the speed display to give motorists a comparison of the speed at which they are traveling with the speed limit in that area. A flashing light on the display can be programmed to alert motorists who are exceeding the speed limit.

The speed trailer recently was positioned on Boggs Hill Road, Mt Pleasant Road, Charter Ridge Drive, and Toddy Hill Road.

The traffic unit used the speed trailer on Toddy Hill Road to target speeding violations on that heavily used street that links Sandy Hook to Botsford. The north-south Toddy Hill Road is used by many motorists as an alternate route to South Main Street (Route 25).

Lt Sinko noted that on November 4, the traffic unit assisted police with finding an erratic driver who was eventually stopped on Route 302. The man who was apprehended was charged with burglary, larceny, and vandalism.

Also, on November 16, the traffic unit was conducting a seatbelt enforcement project at the Exit 11 interchange of Interstate 84 at Wasserman Way, at which a woman was arrested on drug and alcohol violations, as well as forgery charges.

Additionally, the traffic unit aided police with traffic control for Halloween night trick-or-treaters on Main Street, as well as traffic control for a memorial service at the war monument on Main Street, according to the lieutenant.

Lt Sinko said that the traffic unit will continue to focus its energy on making local roads safer by reducing speeding, cutting the number of distracted driver violations, and by enforcing the seatbelt laws.

Drunken driving enforcement projects and seatbelt compliance programs will be conducted during the coming holiday season, he said.

The traffic unit also comprises Officer Steve Ketchum, who rides a police motorcycle when weather permits, and Officer David Kullgren, who drives an unmarked police sedan designed for traffic enforcement.