Arizona DPS detail makes more than 400 stops in Mesa area, issues 379 citations, arrests 4
The heightened enforcement comes amid ongoing concerns about an understaffed and underfunded Arizona Department of Public Safety. Last summer, Jeff Hawkins, president of the Arizona State Troopers Association, told The Arizona Republic that the department had just one officer for every 16,000 motorists, despite state law requiring no more than one highway patrol officer per 2,500 motorists.
This week's maximum enforcement operation, carried out by highway patrol motorcycle troopers, covered a 17-mile stretch of Loop 101 in the Mesa area. Among the 406 vehicle stops, officers issued 183 speeding citations, 142 HOV violation citations, 43 cellphone citations, and 11 seat belt citations, while also making four arrests.
"These operations happen periodically based on the crash rate of any given stretch of the state highway system." Bart Graves, spokesperson with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, told The Republic.
The agency cited speeding as the biggest contributing factor toward crashes in Arizona.
"State troopers are cracking down on unsafe driving statewide. Driving is a privilege ― if you violate the law, expect to be issued a citation. Expect to go to jail if you are criminally speeding (more than 20 mph over the posted limit) or driving recklessly," Highway Patrol Division Lt. Col. Daven Byrd said in a statement from DPS.
Fatal weather: Vehicle pileup on I-40 near Williams kills 2 as winter storm delays emergency response
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Highway Patrol detail in Mesa area results in 400 stops
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