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LTC 121-2003 CITY OF MIAMI BEACH Office of the City Manager Letter to Commission No. To: From: Subject: Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission Jorge M. Gonzalez ,(~ ~ ~ City Manager Police Departme'ht Cltywide Traffic Enforcement Plan Date: May 19, 2003 This Letter to the Commission is to advise the Mayor and City Commission of the Police Department's Citywide Traffic Enforcement Plan, an initiative that provides for a continuum of targeted activities. Attached, you will find the Police Department's Traffic Enforcement Plan that was developed to ensure that a continual plan of enforcement is sustained. Some of the highlights of the Plan are as follows: · Speed information trailers will be placed throughout the City. These trailers are equipped with on-board computers that analyze Iow, median, and high speeds in relation to time frames. · Concerned residents and homeowner groups will provide additional input on cdtical areas for concem. · A zero-tolerance policy on traffic violations will follow the analytical data collected from the aforementioned groups. The zero-tolerance will continue through prosecutions at all levels of the court system. · The Plan calls for an education component, an analytical component to adjust the program as necessary, a partnering with our residents and other City departments, the court system, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Plan is to be implemented with a goal of educating the community of the importance of driving safely, courteously, and obeying traffic laws while removing dangerous ddvers from our streets. Overall, this program should serve to ensure the residents and visitors that traffic laws exist to protect them and will be vigorously enforced throughout the City. Attachment: Police Department Traffic Enforcement Plan JMG\DD~AM\RM\JM\HDC F:~:~)LI\TECHSERV~POLICIES\COM_MEMO\Traffic Enforcement Plan 2003 LTC.doc 1100 WAS~*~[~*O~ A;ENUE * Ml*,~ll BEACH, FLOC:IDA 33139 DEDICATED TO COMMU~dITY ScRV;Cc CZTYWZDE TRAFFZC ENFORCEMENT PLAN On May 5, 2003, the Miami Beach Police Department implemented a plan in an effort to properly control the errant traffic behavior, which currently exists, and to strive to reduce traffic crashes throughout the City. The Traffic Enforcement Plan will embrace a multi-faceted approach. It will target violations, which not only endanger the public, but negatively impact on the quality of life of the residents and visitors of Miami Beach. This plan was will involve numerous elements: · The Patrol Division will have the responsibility of providing direction and overall coordination of data. · Special Units, specifically the Accident Investigation Unit and the Motor Unit, in conjunction with District Officers will provide the majority of enforcement. · District Officers and their supervisors must be enlisted to conduct traffic enforcement activities in their respective areas of responsibilities based on the overall strategy formulated from statistical data for specific areas. · This plan will continue to evolve as statistical data is evaluated, i.e. the analysis of motor vehicle crash information and speeds obtained from the use of the SMART Trailers. St4ART TRAZLERS Neighborhood Resource Officers, along with Motor Units will be responsible for the strategic placement of the SMART Trailers. The criteria used for deciding where to place the trailers will be based upon the following factors: · Statistical information. · Citizen complaints. · District Officer input. It should be noted that the SMART Trailers are equipped with on-board computers, which can be set up to collect speed data. 2003 Traffic Enforcement Plan Page 2 The Motor Unit will be responsible for enforcement of the traffic laws in areas where it would be difficult to operate regular patrol units. Additionally, the Motor Unit may be called upon to address the following enforcement issues: · The removal of abandoned and derelict vehicles, especially those that may interfere with the free movement of traffic on the streets of Miami Beach. · Conducting parking enforcement when the City of Miami Beach Parking Enforcement Department in unavailable. · Enforcement of school zone violations. DTSTRTCT PATROL OFFZCERS Upon the implementation of this plan, the District Officers will be responsible for utilizing their uncommitted patrol time to proactively and vigorously enforce any traffic violations in particular areas of responsibility. The District Officers overlap enforcement period will be coordinated with the activities of the Motor Unit in targeting problem areas. In the initial 60 (sixty) day phase, the District Officers may be provided with data indicating the traffic problems in their area of responsibility. District Officers, after the initial phase, will continue enforcement within their areas of responsibility of identified areas of concern. ENFORCEMENT This plan will initially be in effect for 60 (sixty) days. A zero-tolerance policy will be in effect for motorists who are stopped for such violations as aggressive driving, speeding, traffic signal and traffic sign violations. The enforcement program will be designed for maximum results from the initial encounter with the violator to the eventual disposition of the case, to include aggressive prosecution at all levels of the court system. COMMUN]:TY ZNVOLVEMENT The Police department will seek to actively involve residents addressing traffic problems and implementing effective programs. in 2003 Traffic Enforcement Plan Page 3 Concerned citizens and homeowner groups provide the means for gaining local support for traffic enforcement programs. TRACKTNG MECHANtSM The Special Units Lieutenant will be responsible for the submission of a bi-weekly report, which details the plan's progress. The Supervisors assigned to the Special Units will be responsible for compiling the statistics submitted to them. ADDTTZONAL TNFORIqATZON AND RESOURCES As indicated previously, this enforcement program will encompass a multi-faceted approach to include the following: · A zero tolerance approach to serious traffic vio/ations. These include, but are not/imited to: 1. Aggressive Driving 2. Speeding (especially school & construction zones) 3. Traffic signal violations 4. Sign violations 5. School bus violations 6. Seatbelt violations 7. Child safety seat violations 8. Insurance violations 9. Driver license violations 10.Equipment violations. il.Impaired drivers. · Educate the public, For example: 1. Information messages will be posted at various locations throughout the city using Variable rvlessage Signal Boards. 2. Government access channel. 3. City of t4iami Beach briefs (utility billing inserts) will be utilized to communicate the goals of this program and/or the dangers and costs of traffic violations. 4. Press releases via the Public Information Office. 5. Obtaining educational materials from State, Federal, and Local sources and making them readily available to the public via the Crime Prevention Unit. 6. Utilize the services of the N.R.O.'s at community meetings. 7. Have the School Resource Officers brief students of our program. 2003 Traffic Enforcement Plan Page 4 · Collection of Data 1. SMART Trailer computers. 2. Accident Investigation Unit to provide data with respect to traffic crash trends. 3. Use of State and Federal resources to obtain data. (i.e. Florida Dept. of Transportation, Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, NHTSA- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). 4. Information from local residents and community leaders to identify problem areas or "hot spots". · Forming Partnerships 1. Working with other city agencies such as the Parking Department and Code Compliance to assist us in our enforcement efforts. 2. Securing the assistance of the Public Works Department to identify areas that may require special engineering to correct dangerous traffic conditions. 3. Ensuring that the Police legal adviser is aware of the program and soliciting her guidance and input to make the program a success. 4. Include the court system, specifically, traffic judges in our overall strategy. 5. Working closely with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to target high risk intersections and streets. · Educate the community of the importance of driving safely, courteously, and obeying the traffic laws. · Removing dangerous drivers from the streets of this community. · Enhancing quality of life concerns as they relate to traffic issues.