MPD adds traffic unit to slow speeders

Ask any Maricopa resident their top concern in town and you’ll likely hear one word: traffic.

The topic permeates heated conversations about State Route 347, traffic lights and school zones. It is also the purpose of Maricopa Police Department’s newest specialized unit.

“We’ve been a department now for almost 16 years, and during that time we’ve been running without a traffic unit,” said Traffic Supervisor Sgt. Hal Koozer. “This is the first time that we’ve been able to make it a true focus.”

The unit launched in February with four officers, including Koozer, overseeing accidents and targeting speeders.

“Our goal is to reduce the number of accidents we have,” he said. “We feel that if we can get people to slow down, those accidents will reduce.”

One of those methods includes utilizing speed radar trailers. The large, mobile contraptions display the roadway’s posted speed limit and light up with an approaching driver’s speed, which often prompts motorists to slow down.

It’s an effective method. One study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration showed installing these devices reduces speeds by an average of 7 mph and have the potential for permanently reducing speeds.

In Maricopa, the department strategically sets up its four trailers in temporary spots around the city, typically in high-traffic areas or where they received recent speeding complaints. Koozer said they serve as a reminder for motorists to slow down but are also a key component to the department collecting useful traffic data.

“Certainly, we want to know the maximum speed (of drivers),” he said.

Other statistical information collected includes the total number of vehicles driving on the road, the average speed and how many exceeded the speed limit.

In one 35 mph zone police monitored March 1-13, the unit saw 37,893 vehicles pass at an average speed of 33.8 mph. However, 53%, more than 20,000 drivers, exceeded the posted speed limit.

Those kinds of details from traffic and other specialized units allow the department to determine which areas of the city to target.

“The data from speed radar trailers is really informing where (Koozer’s) unit is going to be in the future,” said MPD spokesperson Monica Williams. “It helps us be adaptable to what’s happening in our city.”

As Maricopa continues to expand, Koozer anticipates adding two additional officers to the traffic unit.

“Traffic congestion is fairly new for us,” he said. “We’ve seen it increase for several years now but it’s getting worse, unfortunately.”

This has led to an increase in aggressive driving, according to Koozer, which puts residents at harm.

“People are just not being as polite as they could be,” he said. “We don’t want anybody hurt, so just practice patience.”