Motorists in the West Valley, take heed: the streets are under new surveillance. As of this Wednesday, a collaborative program labeled "Safe Speeds Save Lives" has been deployed by police chiefs from nine agencies, aiming to clamp down on speed demons and road ragers across the area, as detailed by a report from azfamily.com. Zero tolerance is the order of the day, with increased enforcement tactics echoing those of DUI checkpoints during festive periods.
The campaign's strategy is to enhance police presence on notorious stretches of road, especially during peak traffic hours, although Surprise Police Chief Benny Piña stated, "We won't announce when we're hitting a particular stretch of road until we've already begun that effort," in a commitment towards unpredictability to keep potential flouters on their toes. The task force, which includes departments from Avondale to Goodyear and agencies like the Arizona Department of Public Safety, is reportedly pooling resources in an unprecedented manner, Glendale police informed 12news.com.
According to statements obtained by azfamily.com, Chief Piña has urged the public to cultivate patience and mature planning before hitting the road, emphasizing the target which is ensuring safer transit for all. The collective of police departments reinforces this sentiment with their unified response to a pressing issue that has seen a significant number of car crashes lead to deaths and injuries within Arizona.
Peoria Police Department’s Sergeant Ricardo Acevado addressed the severity problem, highlighting instances of drivers nearly doubling the speed limit, "They want to get aggressive, they want to start tailgating," he said, "[The] number's 40 … people are doing 70. That's a problem." Indeed, officers are prepared to cast a wide net, the campaign slated to run until the end of July, makes sure to not give scofflaws a roadmap to evasion, all to bring about a substantial decline in traffic mishaps that have plagued these streets for too long, as Chief Piña told 12news.com.
