Desert Local News - Index

Desert Local News - Desert Local News 'weekly' on demand print March 6th edition - Index

4 police & sheriffs report
Biker’s On DHS Beat
On Wednesday, February 20,
2008, between the hours of 7:00
a.m. and 3:00 p.m., the Desert Hot
Springs Police Department hosted
the Valley Motorcycle Enforcement
Team (VMET). Approximately
(10) ten Motorcycle Traffic
Officers from surrounding agencies
in the Coachella Valley participated
in the monthly event.
The focus of the VMET detail
is an overall traffic enforcement
during heavy commute hours in
the areas of Palm Drive, Pierson,
Hacienda, Ironwood, and Two
Bunch Palms. All of the schools
with-in the City of Desert Hot
Springs were also part of the traffic
enforcement detail. The traffic
enforcement concentrated on the
major roadways with the highest
traffic flow and violations such as
unsafe speed, failure to yield violations,
and unsafe turning movements.
The objective was to reduce
unsafe driving acts during peek
commute hours along the most
used roadways within the city.
During the VMET traffic enforcement,
there were approximately
150 vehicles that were
stopped for various traffic viola-
tions. Approximately 138 traffic
citations were issued and approximately
(11) eleven vehicles were
towed. Most of the vehicles towed
were stored for 30 days per storage
authority 14602.2 (a) CVC. The
vehicles towed were because of
Cops helping Cops
drivers operating a vehicle without
a California Driver License (CDL)
or with a CDL that has been suspended
or revoked.
The Desert Hot Springs Police
Department would like to thank
the Traffic Officers assigned to the
VMET Team as well as the Cities
of Indio, Cathedral City, and Palm
Springs for their efforts in cracking
down on moving violations.
By Leslie Andrews trol officers will help the City of according to the captain.
March 4, 2008, the Califor- Desert Hot Springs in combating
This collaboration is possible
nia Highway Patrol will use up crime through aggressive traffic through the commitment of CHP
to four uniformed traffic officers enforcement and high visibility resources to assist local law en
and one supervisor, three days a suppression efforts in targeted loforcement through this communi-
week over the next several weeks cations with a history of criminal ty assistance program. Financing
to relieve the Department with activity and areas where gangs, of these efforts come from state
their continuing crime reduction parolees and sex offenders live. grants totaling about $100,000.
efforts.
“If there is a vehicle code “The grant is fianced through the
“We’re very excited about violation, we will be taking ap- governor to help combat gang
this collaborative effort and we propriate action,” said Captain problems,” Sutherland added.
hope that this will be essential Sutherland. “We will stop the
The program is expected to
towards making the community gang members and the parolees. last anywhere from three to six
a safer place,” said Chief Wil- Hopefully take some people to months.
liams. “We’ve been planning this jail and write a lot of tickets as
“Any continued cooperation
program for the past five months well.” Sutherland added that CHP operation orchistrated by our po-
now.” Chief Williams added there officers will be working overtime lice chief is extremely welcome,”
have been specific areas in Desert to participate in this program.
said Councilmember Russell Bet-
Hot Springs that will be targeted
Similar programs have been ts. “Everybody should recognize
in particular.
successful statewide, in the Bay the good moment that’s taking
The California Highway Pa- Area and in the Inland Empire, place here.” DHS Police Chief Williams and CHP Captain Sutherland