Questions Posted to "Ask a Dispatcher"
Q. First off, thanks for all the hard work keep the people of Juneau safe!
My question is why JPD does not use undercover vehicles for speeding enforcement? I spend my whole workday on Juneau's roads and I am amazed at how bad our Juneau drivers are getting.
At least once a day I get passed by a car load of teenagers going 80+ MPH or get tailgated so close that I can't see their hood.
One thing I notice often is that people behave really well when there is a police cruiser within sight. I think JPD should install undercover lights in a couple of Subaru's and start cracking down on all these bad/dangerous drivers.
Thanks!
Keep up the good work!
Dear Juneau Resident,
Thank you for your kind words!
We do have a Crown Vic with discreet lights that is out there sometimes. It is a really effective tool. As far as using different models, that is a good idea! However, we do get into the balancing act of enforcement versus safety of the public and officers. The discreet lights by their very nature are not going to be as visible as the standard top lights. That means the traffic stop becomes more dangerous for the officer and the public. So you stop people where most of the speeding is, your busy roads, but then you have created a potential hazard also on a busy road. Like most things in life, a balance of risk and reward has to be found.
As technology improves the visibility from smaller lights, your idea becomes more and more possible to do safely.
The reason patrol cars are angled and wheels turned toward the lane of travel is in case someone rear-ends the patrol car. Impaired drivers are sometimes drawn to lights like moths and, especially taking into account drug impairment, they are out there at all hours. If someone hits the patrol car the officer wants to make sure the stopped person doesn't get hit by the patrol car. If you are stopped please leave your seatbelt on and if you are broken down and waiting for a tow truck please leave your seatbelt on. In Juneau we have experience with drivers hitting stopped patrol and civilian cars on the side of Egan.
