ROCKWELL ó The Rockwell Police Department has a new weapon in its arsenal to combat speeding.
Police now have a handheld remote radar gun, courtesy of the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety program.
The device, valued at $1,800 will make it easier for Rockwell Police to check vehicle speeds around town. It’s smaller than a loaf of bread.
Police Chief Hugh Bost said there are a lot of places in town where officers couldn’t find a place to park and use the traditional radar devices.
Bost said speeding isn’t a serious problem in town, but the effort to enforce the speed limits is paying off. “We have found that through speed enforcement, our traffic crashes have gone down drastically and the severity have also gone down drastically. When people slow down and drive like they are supposed to they are not nearly as likely to be injured (in a wreck).”
All of the town’s five full time and most of the town’s four part-time officers are certified in operating radar.
They will need additional training and certification for the handheld device.
For more on the radar gun including a photo of the presentation check the town’s Web site at www.rockwell.nc.org.