Roanoke police quadrupled the number of motorcycle traffic enforcement units this month, from one to four. The intent is to reduce accidents — and to fight crime as well. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
[audio:http://wfirnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/10-18-Cycle-Crime-Wrap1-WEB1.mp3|titles=10-18 Cycle Crime Wrap1-WEB]Police Chief Chris Perkins is a fan of “Overt Traffic Enforcement” — no hiding, no speed traps. It serves an obvious purpose in higher-accident areas, but Perkins says it has also proven to be an effective tool to fight crime. That’s because cars are frequently involved in crimes: some are stolen, others used in getaways, and still others become the crime weapon.
So along with assigning the new traffic enforcement officers in higher-accident areas, police will often send them as a visible presence in higher-crime areas, with the expectation both those numbers will go down
