Bexley police chief targets safety at school Broad St. crossing, E. Main businesses
Since assuming his position Sept. 1, Bexley Police Chief Gary Lewis said one of the first issues he is tackling is improving safety at the intersection of East Broad Street and Cassingham Road where students cross weekdays.
Lewis said he began assigning officers Sept. 12 to assist students with crossing at the intersection between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
“We’ve partnered with a group of concerned parents that really expressed some concerns focused around safety,” Lewis said in his first official report to City Council on Sept. 13. “We have committed to have our personnel there. This is a beta for us; this is new.”
Mayor Ben Kessler said the officer presence is designed to enhance traffic safety measures the city added to the intersection earlier this year, including no-turn restrictions during school hours and flashing lights to alert drivers to approach the intersection with caution.
The city also is adding additional safety measures to the intersection at East Main Street and Cassingham Road intersection, Kessler said.
“We are adding, as well, no-turn restrictions during those school hours to that intersection,” Kessler said.
Lewis said the safety initiative at East Broad Street and Cassingham Road will continue through December, at which time the police department will meet with the parent group that assisted in organizing the program and evaluate results.
“We’ll meet with that group, see the good, bad and indifferent,” Lewis said. “We’re also hoping to get some additional volunteers to assist us.”
Lewis said he began another initiative Sept. 12, assigning officers to check in with business owners each day to assess safety needs along the East Main Street corridor.
“We’re actually conducting foot patrols where we’re out meeting with individual business owners up and down Main Street,” Lewis said. “We’re working with some of them on how to do best practices on how to keep their buildings safe. We’re looking at adding cameras.”
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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Bexley police chief targets safety at school Broad St. crossing, E. Main businesses
