Wenatchee Police want to add more traffic safety patrols to improve driver behavior.
Nearly 40 traffic tickets were issued last month as part of a traffic safety measure at Ninth Street and North Chelan Avenue.
According to Wenatchee Police Chief Edgar Reinfeld, the capacity to conduct patrols is limited due to staffing levels.
“There aren’t that many officers on duty on a daily basis,” Reinfeld said. “A full patrol shift is seven. Our minimum staffing level is four. In the 16 square miles of the city of Wenatchee, there are often five officers on duty, so it’s relatively rare to see them enforcing traffic.”
By establishing a traffic safety unit this year, Wenatchee Police have been able to conduct better patrols with a focus on safety.
The City Council approved an agreement with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission in December to fund two full-time and one part-time traffic safety positions.
The traffic safety unit has been in operation since January 1. The grant from the Traffic Safety Commission will cover the officers’ salaries for two years, after which the funding will be provided by the city.
The commission will reimburse the city for the cost of the two patrol officers and a part-time sergeant. The grant totals $881,392 over a two-year period.
According to Police Chief Reinfeld, the traffic safety unit is used for safety-oriented patrols, but also has other everyday tasks.
“With the creation of the traffic unit on January 1, we now have our own traffic monitoring department every day,” said Reinfeld. “But they also deal with collisions and are responsible for educating the public. They have many responsibilities.”
The primary mission of the Traffic Unit is traffic enforcement and accident investigation, with a focus on coordination with the Washington State Patrol, Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, City of Wenatchee Engineering Department, public education, and drug recognition experts.
During the July inspection, seven tickets were issued for illegally turning at a red light, six for using a cell phone while driving and four for not having insurance. In addition, 20 people were reported for not wearing a seat belt.
On May 30, Wenatchee Police conducted a traffic safety operation in which they issued 14 speeding tickets within two hours.
This call occurred as southbound vehicles on State Route 285 approached the Wenatchee River Bridge.
Officers targeted vehicles that were speeding, even though the speed limit is 45 mph. The fastest vehicle ticketed was traveling 61 mph, or 16 mph over the speed limit.
Outside of the Highway 285 entrance to North Wenatchee, the speed limit on most city streets is 25 mph. There are a few exceptions. The speed limit on the one-way streets of Mission Street and Chelan Avenue is 30 mph. On Western Avenue, the speed limit is 35 mph.
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