Police Chief: 'Many People Are Driving Too Fast'

A two-week test by the Alameda Police Department appears to have confirmed what many people already thought: too many drivers are driving too fast on the Island.

Between Sept. 24 and Oct. 8, a period of increased traffic enforcement, patrol officers cited drivers for 420 traffic violations, according to an Alameda Police Department press release. Of those citations, more than half — 232 — were for speeding.

“The results of the two-week increased enforcement confirmed what we already suspected, which is that many people are simply driving too fast," said Police Chief Paul Rolleri.

The three top locations where speeding citations were issued were Otis Drive (56), Fernside Boulevard (52), and Constitution Way (28), the release said.

"There are many main thoroughfares commonly used to enter and exit Alameda," it said. "This is also where most violations occur because people are in a rush to get to their destination."

Among the worst offenses were speeding at 50mph and 51mph in a 25mph zone and at 54mph in a 30mph zone, it said.

Lt. Don Owyang, an APD patrol commander, said in an email that the test stemmed in part from increased community complaints about speeding, probably connected to the start of the new school year.

"We asked our patrol/traffic personnel to focus more on traffic enforcement than normal [from Sept. 24 to Oct. 8]," Owyang said.

"As a result, we took a more proactive enforcement response for traffic safety around the entire city. We did not specifically target locations, but rather asked the normal complement of officers who are already assigned to patrol and traffic to devote their 'non-call for service' time to traffic enforcement." 

Owyang said police didn't target specific areas during the two-week test.

"The locations spoke for themselves after the citations were reviewed at the conclusion of the enforcement period," he said.

During the preceding 8-plus months, from Jan. 1 to Sept. 24, the same number of officers issued a total of 986 speeding tickets, Owyang said. 

That works out to roughly 25 or 26 speeding citations per week during the earler part of the year, compared to an average of 116 speeding tickets per week during the period of stepped-up traffic enforcement.

The press release said traffic enforcement by police police is about safety, not revenue.

"On average, the city only gets 12 percent to 16 perent of the total fine," it said.

"For example, the bail for a speed violation for 1-15mph over the speed limit is $238.  The city receives $28.70 while the rest will go to the county and state."

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