DELAWARE STATE POLICE TRAFFIC SECTION
Under the command of Captain Barbara Conley, the Traffic Section is responsible for the planning, analysis, monitoring, and coordination of the agency’s traffic activities. Housed at the Headquarters Complex, the Traffic Section includes three uniformed troopers and eight civilian employees.
The Section provides data entry for Delaware State Police summonses and statewide collisions, fulfills insurance requests, and is charged with the testing and purchasing of all traffic-related equipment. Other functions under the purview of the Traffic Section are the Truck Enforcement Unit, Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, and all federal traffic safety grants. The Truck Enforcement Team (Size and Weight Unit) and Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program consist of ten uniformed troopers and two civilian employees.
In 2005, continued participation in regional and national campaigns like “Click It or Ticket” and “Checkpoint Strikeforce” coordinated through the Traffic Section, resulted in a 6% reduction in fatalities and a 9% reduction in fatal crashes. In 2005, troopers throughout the Division made 3583 arrests for Driving Under the Influence and 131,556 arrests for traffic violations of which 57,128 were for aggressive driving related offenses. Seat belt compliance rose to 84% in Delaware, a two percent increase over 2004. There were 10,008 seat belt violation arrests under the primary law and over 17,110 seat belt assessments were also issued.
Full implementation of automated red light camera enforcement was completed and two technicians were hired. Mr. Jon Littlefield, a retired Dover police officer and Mr. Gerald Conway, retired Chief of the Newark Police Department currently review red light violations recorded by cameras throughout the state in strategic locations where intersection crashes were frequent.
Another component of the Traffic Section is the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, currently under the supervision of Lieutenant Mark Collender. The primary mission of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit is to reduce the number of commercial vehicle- related crashes through the enforcement of the federal motor-carrier safety rules. In 2005, members of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit conducted over 4,054 inspections of motor carriers and their operators, and over 8,857 trucks were weighed. Approximately 4,684 arrests were made for violations such as overweight, improper equipment, federal motor-carrier regulation offenses, and various moving violations. As a result of this effort, commercial vehicle crashes have continued to decline.
The civilian staff of the Traffic Section is an exemplary group of employees dedicated to the overall mission of the Section. In addition to the entry of over 131,556 traffic citations, staff members enter and check for quality control over 20,000 crash reports. The civilian members of the Traffic Section also process approximately 19,500 requests for crash report copies from insurance companies and others.
The Traffic Section will continue to be proactive in the Division’s mission to decrease injuries and deaths related to traffic crashes on Delaware highways in 2006 by continuing successful programs, initiating new programs, developing our staff, recognizing accomplishments and mentoring young people interested in the law enforcement field. Members will continue to equip and train our troopers across the state with the knowledge and tools necessary to assist us in our mission.
