Law enforcement is cracking down on issues on the road and a newly formed multitown traffic enforcement unit is working to make roads safer for drivers and pedestrians.
“Traffic enforcement and speed enforcement, those types of things, are at the top of our quality of life issues,” East Haven Police Captain Joseph M. Murgo said.
Authorities said the initiative will focus on one town at a time, targeting specific roadways chosen due to a number of complaints.
“In addition to speeding, and I know it’s summertime, but passing school buses, pedestrian traffic, trying to cross the crosswalks, “Murgo said. “What we’re seeing is a lot of unregistered motor vehicles, a lot of uninsured motor vehicles.”
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The new initiative will be located in towns such as East Haven, North Haven, North Branford, Branford, Madison and Guilford.
All law enforcement will have jurisdiction in one another’s communities but for the officers it not just about enforcement, but more so education.
“We are going to focus on the education piece as opposed to issuing tickets and things like that. Issuing tickets is kind of low on the totem pole for what we’re trying to do,” Murgo said.
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Sgt. Joe Mulhern, of the East Haven Police Department, said there are multiple cameras and explained how the technology works.
“As you hear the beeps, as fast as it is it, is reading the plate, “he said. “The software is taking a picture of the car. Then it’s detecting the plate of the car and then it’s telling that to the Connecticut DMV database and it’s coming back and telling us the status of that actual registration. The beeps you hear there are valid registration. It'll say t is expired suspended registration stolen vehicle,”
As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, Murgo said the main message for people getting behind the wheel is, “use your head, drive safely, don’t drink and drive, utilize any of those ride share services that exist -- Uber or Lyft -- mom or dad, those types of things.”
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