Newark Police Issue 52 Citations During Morning Pedestrian Safety Operation

Newark police conducted a pedestrian safety operation Tuesday morning during commute hours, issuing 52 citations and 40 warnings. Police said two drivers were arrested, one of whom was taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence around 8:20 a.m.

“We know this is a big concern for the community, and we get a lot of support for these operations,” Sgt. Hoppe said. During the operation, plain-clothes staffers from the Newark Police Department used marked crosswalks to walk across heavily traveled commuting routes. The locations were chosen based on citizen complaints and collision data, according to police. Sgt. Hoppe said they used cones to mark out a safe distance, so the pedestrians would know when it was too late to safely enter the crosswalk.

“We did a lot of targeting to make my decoys as safe as possible,” Hoppe said. Meanwhile, officers were observing from a distance to monitor for compliance with applicable traffic laws, issuing citations or warnings when appropriate and informing drivers that pedestrian’s always have the right-of-way.

“You need to be vigilant when you’re out there, because these pedestrians could end up in front of your car unexpectedly if you’re not paying attention,” Hoppe said. Hoppe added that as his department receives more collision data and citizen complaints, they will continue engaging in targeted pedestrian safety operations like the one on Tuesday morning.

By Bay City News

Photo via Shutterstock

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