By: Jim Donnelly
Ever drive by the Coral Square Mall south parking lot and wonder why all of those orange traffic cones are spread out across the pavement? Or wonder why it looks like a hang out for a bunch of guys with motorcycles? If you look closer you might even notice that the guys riding those motorcycles are Coral Springs Police officers.
These officers belong to the city’s “Traffic Unit” and are training. The unit trains monthly because each officer in the unit has to “qualify” twice a year in order to remain active within the unit.
We all loved the show “ChiPs” when we were growing up but unfortunately our favorite CHP officers Ponch and John parked their bikes long ago. The popularity for motorcycle cops ended when the show went off the air. The “Traffic Unit” is usually not what you would call the most popular division of any police department. That’s because if they pull you over you usually wind up getting a ticket. The reason they have to write tickets is because they want to save lives.
Here are some statistics you might find interesting:
Since 2012 the City of Coral Springs has had 18 Fatalities caused by traffic accidents. Five of those accidents were directly related to the fact that the occupant was not wearing his/her seatbelt. Pedestrian/ Bicycle accidents accounted for five of those deaths and the remaining fatal accidents were a mixture of speed, alcohol, and those involving motorcycles.
With the rise in deaths associated with accidents the Coral Springs Traffic Unit has applied for state grant funding to combat the increases in injury crashes and as of August 2013 has been receiving grant funded money to target a growing pedestrian/bicycle safety issue that has increased since 2012. With this grant Coral Springs traffic officers conduct monthly operations that include handling out brochures, distributing bicycle lights, and educating our youth at events such as Safety Town. They also use message boards and press releases (prior to enforcement) in an attempt to warn the public of the hazards associated with pedestrian/bicycle violations and their interaction with motor vehicle traffic.
The Coral Springs Traffic Unit has also partnered up with AARP to conduct monthly classes in order to help educate those elderly commuters on defensive and safe driving methods with the intent to reduce injury crashes. The Coral Springs Traffic Unit is committed to reducing injury crashes and deaths and uses several resources to help curtail reckless driving. With the use of speed counters, radar trailers, and with direct contact with citizens, they try to address an area of concern prior to it becoming a threat to a human life. The unit also devotes a great deal of time daily to the city’s 23 public and private schools.
It seems that lately, police officers have become easy targets for people that want to complain about law enforcement. Lets face it, no one wants a ticket but these guys will tell you that they’d write their own mother a ticket because it might save a life. They will do whatever it takes to save lives. Its time we start to appreciate what this unit does to make our community safer.
If you’d like to show your appreciation, then visit www.southeastpolice.com. SPMC has hosted one of the largest motorcycle rodeo charity events in the country. The event is now hosted by the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood. This will be their 27th year and they have raised over a half a million dollars, funds that have been donated directly to the COPS Kids Foundation and to local Children Charity Organizations throughout South Florida. The charity raises funds by selling raffle tickets for a brand new Harley Davidson Motorcycle (yearly) and through promotional advertising for our neighboring businesses.
They are not just saving lives but helping to improve them as well. They ask that you try to reduce your distractions while driving and pay attention while you are on the streets as a pedestrian. Together we can all save lives!
Author Profile
- A Coral Springs resident for over 30 years, Jim Donnelly has had a 40-year career as a photographer, videographer, and editor for South Florida affiliate news stations, along with CNN, ESPN, ABC Sports and News, NBC Sports and News, Fox News, and CBS. Donnelly has won several awards, including EMMY’s, for his team coverage. Currently, he owns Image Masters Photography and works as a Realtor.
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1 comment
Get real Jim. Show me one Coral Springs cop that wrote his own mother a ticket. If you’re really an Emmy wining journalist don’t waste your time writing a Sales Pitch for the Coral Springs Police Department.
Write about the dishonest cops the the City Manager keeps on his police force. Write about the Coral Springs cop that beat up on a prisoner, was convicted for it in County Court and still remained on the Police Force. Write about the cop that filed a false police report to send an innocent Senior Citizen to Jail. The Senior was saved from a criminal conviction only by an audio recording. The cop was found guilty of untruthfulness by Internal Affairs but to this day that same Coral Springs cop can drag you or I off the street and throw us in jail with a false police report. Yep, the cop is still on the job. The City Manger keeps them on the job. Why? Why?
I know of 2 other cops that believe they have a right to lie. Who’s going to question them? The cop is always presumed to be right. Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Fred Gray, Walter Scott, Sandra Bland and now an additional victim in Cincinnati. How long before an innocent person gets killed by a cop in Coral Springs?
No, the Cycle cops won’t write a ticket to their mother, their family, their families friends, their fellow City workers, or any of their “special” friends. But it’s proven that some cops will make a traffic stop just to show their power and generate revenue for the City. Sometimes things go wrong and an innocent person gets sent to jail or an innocent person is killed. Dishonest cops shouldn’t be on the Coral Springs Police force. Someone, maybe a journalist, should be putting pressure on the City Manager to clean up his Police force.