Reckless driving crackdown in West Allis is 'making progress,' but it's still early in the initiative, mayor says
Earlier this year, West Allis began an initiative to try to combat reckless driving, giving police the power to hand out tickets with heavier fines and including money in the city budget to install cameras at select intersections to enhance enforcement.
So is it working?
Because the initiative is less than five months old, it's too early to determine its effectiveness, West Allis Deputy Police Chief Robert Fletcher said.
But he did say WAPD officers are pulling over more drivers.
Comparing the first four months of 2022 to the same period in 2021, Fletcher said officers have increased the number of traffic stops by nearly 19%.
West Allis police also have exercised their option to cite reckless drivers under a different area of the Wisconsin state statutes, handing out tickets for "negligent operation of a vehicle" instead of reckless driving, a key part of the initiative that was included in the 2022 budget.
The reckless driving charge carries a maximum fine of $200. A motorist convicted of negligent operation of a vehicle could face a forfeiture of up to $10,000.
As of May 16, Fletcher said officers have issued three citations for negligent operation of a vehicle; a fourth incident is under review with the City Attorney's Office.
Whether a motorist would face the maximum $10,000 penalty is up to the court, not police, Fletcher said.
"The WAPD is taking reckless driving very seriously," Fletcher said in an email. "It is our belief that with these efforts and the public's knowledge of these efforts, that we will have a positive impact on the reckless driving issue and at the very least hold reckless drivers accountable for their actions."
West Allis residents continue to complain about dangerous driving, mayor says
West Allis Mayor Dan Devine said complaints about reckless driving continue to be one of the top concerns he hears from residents.
As such, it comes up regularly in conversations he has with members of the police department.
"A lot of times it is asking patrol to give additional attention to an area where the complaints originate," Devine said in an email.
Like Fletcher, Devine said it's too early to tell how well the crackdown is working.
"I know WAPD has made this issue a serious priority, and the additional amount of traffic stops have been appreciated not just by me, but by the community," Devine said. "While I do not think we will ever eliminate bad driving, I do feel like this is making progress."
Police are handing out more tickets to reckless drivers
West Allis police issued 23 reckless driving citations in 2019 and 25 in 2020, Fletcher said.
That two-year total is three times higher than the figure the WAPD provided to the Journal Sentinel last year, when the department said it issued 16 citations for reckless driving in 2019 and 2020.
Fletcher said the new number is the result of "looking closer."
Last year, there were 25 reckless driving tickets written by WAPD officers.
Through April 2022, the department has issued nine reckless driving citations, which is on pace for 36 for the year. If the pace holds, it would be an increase of 44% over the 2021 figure.
More: Wauwatosa is looking to address reckless driving. Here are some ways the city could buck the trend.
New traffic cameras are being installed to help ID reckless drivers
The installation of cameras to capture dangerous drivers in the act is another tool the city will employ, but it's a work in progress, Fletcher said.
The city is in the process of putting up the cameras and will do a trial run before officials determine where they ultimately will be located, he said.
Once that's done, there will be about 10 cameras permanently installed.
The cameras will be able to help the PD identify offending vehicles, Fletcher said.
If the cameras prove to be effective, Devine said he may propose additional funding for them in the next budget.
In addition, the city is working to calm traffic through street design as roads are being redone, Devine said.
"Things like traffic circles, speed humps and bump-outs are all being discussed," he said. "These will help naturally slow traffic flow."
Contact Bob Dohr at 262-361-9140 or bob.dohr@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BobDohr1.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: West Allis reckless driving crackdown results in more stops, citations
