Schools
Bloomfield Places ‘Cops In Crosswalks’ For Start Of School Year
For years, Bloomfield police have been going undercover at the township's crosswalks to help protect students as they return to class.
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — For years, Bloomfield police have been going undercover at the township’s crosswalks to help protect students as they return to class. And this September is no exception.
The Bloomfield Division of Public Safety (BDPS) recently announced that this month, police are bringing back the annual “Cops in Crosswalks” campaign, which places undercover officers at local crosswalks at the beginning of the academic year.
The operation will take place at “dozens of locations” throughout the town for 2018, authorities said.
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“Undercover police officers posing as pedestrians at crosswalks who observe a failure to stop at a crosswalk will instruct their partners in nearby police cars to pull the driver over a few hundred feet past these crosswalks. From there, the officers will follow standard protocol, but will also be sure to give the driver pamphlets on the importance of stopping at crosswalks.”
Mayor Michael Venezia said that although Bloomfield is becoming more pedestrian and multi-modal friendly, the onus is still on drivers to watch the road.
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“Residents need to feel safe crossing the streets,” Venezia said. “We hope that by education, prevention and enforcement residents will be more mindful of pedestrians' rights, and always stop when they see someone in a crosswalk.”
Director of Public Safety Samuel DeMaio said that the operation is about “education.”
“Throughout the year, Bloomfield police officers conduct radar enforcement campaigns to crack down on excessive speeding, and distracted driving campaigns to warn about the dangers of using cell phones while driving,” DeMaio stated. “This operation is no different. We will fully enforce the law to ensure that distracted or unsafe driving has no place in Bloomfield.”
Tomorrow is the first official BACK TO SCHOOL day. That means there will be an increased number of kids walking to school and an increased number of cars on the road. Please use caution when out on the road. Our officers will be out strictly enforcing moving violations! pic.twitter.com/C9r2465yGC
— Bloomfield Division of Public Safety (@BlfdPublicSafe) September 4, 2018
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File Photo: Enzo Dicostanzo
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