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Deputies setting speeders in radar sights
By MAUREEN BYRNE AHERN SEMINOLE -- Speeders beware. The city is beefing up its traffic enforcement program by hiring a second deputy to curtail speeding in Seminole. City officials say the additional patrol is in response to a recent citizens survey. "The leading complaint from the residents was speeding in neighborhoods and the amount of traffic," said City Manager Frank Edmunds. The new deputy would join Deputy Patrick Krager, the current traffic officer in Seminole. The job includes monitoring critical areas, such as busy intersections, and nabbing speeders, especially in residential areas. Except for major incidents, the traffic deputies do not respond to normal calls. The additional traffic unit would cost the city $50,000 a year. A one-time fee of $22,000 would pay for the vehicle, equipment and uniform. Additional revenues from newly annexed areas will cover the costs, Edmunds said. Traffic problems have been an issue here for quite some time. As the Seminole area has grown, so have the problems on the roads. The county has installed speed humps in neighborhoods in many unincorporated areas, but the city prefers other traffic calming methods, such as enforcement. In 2001, the city started a traffic program to specifically address traffic problems. The program included a full-time deputy, laser and radar units also used by patrol deputies, and a "smart trailer," which contains a computer that logs the speed and volume of cars and shows passing motorists their speed. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office provides police services to the city. With the additional deputy will come a change in scheduling, Edmunds said. The deputies will work four 10-hour days, providing seven days of coverage. Deputy Adam Sarlo, the city's community policing officer, said the additional traffic unit will be a relief to residents. "I receive complaints on a daily basis about speeding in neighborhoods," he said. "One traffic deputy can only work so much." But even one deputy apparently has made a difference in Seminole. According to the Sheriff's Office, the traffic deputy here has produced more than 3,300 citations since October 2001. The fines for typical speeding violations range from $45 to $270. The goal isn't to put more money in the city's coffers, Edmunds said. "The program is intended to slow people down when traveling in the city." Although 38 percent of residents polled said there is no serious problem in this community, the majority of those who did have a complaint cited traffic issues. The respondents said congested roadways and speeding in neighborhoods are the most important issues facing the city. "The survey clearly indicates it's something we need," said Council member Pete Bengston. Edmunds also is exploring the possibility of a grant paying for a second community policing officer. The city has doubled in size and population since 2000, and an additional officer would help respond to residents' needs.
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