The Nacogdoches Police Department recently completed several various traffic enforcement programs. Officers completed a STEP (Selective Traffic Enforcement Program) enforcement wave prior to and during the Labor Day holiday. NPD participates in the state’s STEP program annually and the officer’s overtime is paid for through state and federal funds. The Texas Department of Transportation oversees the grant program and numerous law enforcement agencies throughout the state participate.
During this Labor Day enforcement, officer issued 322 traffic citations and made 6 arrests of drivers for various offenses. The goal of the program is that through heavy visibility and enforcement, auto accidents and their severity can be reduced through more aware drivers.
During this same time period NPD officers also worked with the Union Pacific Railroad Police Department to enforce rail crossing violations. Officers issued 28 citations during this assignment.
Also, over the Labor Day weekend, NPD officers, along with other local law enforcement agencies, participated in a No Refusal DWI weekend enforcement event. During the Labor Day weekend, NPD officers arrested four drivers for DWI and two of those four refused to provide a breath sample, resulting in officers obtaining a search warrant.
“All of these efforts,” according to Lt. Dan Taravella of the Nacogdoches Police Department, “are indicators of how seriously we take traffic safety. We participate with TX DOT, the railway police and the Nacogdoches County Attorney’s office, day in and day out, and during these special enforcement periods, to make our roads safer. Fortunately, we have good partners in these efforts who are trying to make a difference in our community,” Taravella said. “Getting people to slow down, buckle up and not drink and drive are our key priorities.”
