- Thomasville is installing six radar signs in school zones to alert drivers of their speed and enhance safety before the new school year starts.
- This initiative aims to improve safety and efficiency for the police department by reducing the need for constant officer presence in school zones.
- Watch the video to learn more about how these radar signs will help our neighborhood.
BROADCAST SCRIPT
Thomasville is stepping up school zone safety. I'm looking into the new radar signs being installed to help neighbors slow down and stay safe.
The City of Roses implemented a school camera safety program a few years ago, installing cameras, signage, and flashing lights in each school zone. Now, the city is adding 6 radar signs across the three school zones as a final measure to alert citizens to slow down.
I talked to Wade Glover, Chief of Police at the Thomasville Police Department, about the new radar signs.
"It's not about issuing citations, it's about voluntary compliance and educating our citizens and slowing people down in our school zones to protect our children's lives."
When I asked Chief Glover about the motivation behind this step and if it's related to complaints they have been receiving. This is what he said.
"Most of the complaints we get are from the people that receive the violations obviously. However, we do have complaints from concerned citizens that say, you know, there's not enough fair warning with these things because you have a tendency to forget."
Another advantage of getting these radar signs in our school zones is the increased efficiency they provide for our police department
"We do not have enough officers to set in every school zone 8 hours a day. We have to have adequate staffing to do that so this is a way that we can slow people down, alert them to what their speed are and without having an offer sit there all the time"
Chief Glover says it costs around 5,000 dollars to purchase and install each radar sign. he tells me he is expecting the purchase to be approved by the city next week and after that, it would take 3 weeks up to a month to fully install them.
Six radar signs are expected to be installed and running before school starts.
