Traffic Safety Team
Traffic Enforcement Mission Statement
“The Beaverton Police Department Traffic Unit is committed to a community policing partnership to create a safer community by enforcing traffic safety laws, educating, and assisting citizens in solving traffic problems and recommending traffic engineering changes.”
Historical Perspective
The Beaverton Police Department's current Traffic Safety Team (TST) was created in 1995 in response to outstanding public support of the 1995 law enforcement levy. The Traffic Safety Team readily established itself as an integral part of the agency, and demonstrated the ability to modify the driving behavior of the motoring public by enhancing compliance with traffic laws.
While still a part of the Patrol Division, the Traffic Safety Team functions independently of Patrol scheduling, and operates out of a satellite Neighborhood Resource Center graciously provided by the management of the Sterling Pointe Apartments, located in south Beaverton near the intersection of Murray Blvd. and Scholls Ferry Road.
Current Responsibilities
Your current Traffic Safety Team is responsible and accountable to the Beaverton Police Department Mission Statement. In general, the unit adheres to the time-tested principal of the "3 E's" of traffic safety: Engineering, Education, and Enforcement.
Your traffic safety officers are all "field operatives," that is to say that they all spend a majority of their time working the streets of your city. They are experts at recognizing and addressing traffic safety problems, and they are not just focused on "just writing tickets." Your traffic officers frequently make recommendations regarding traffic engineering changes on your city streets, most often with the focus on redesigning problem areas to reduce the incidence of "problem" driving. Quite frequently they recommend/request additional or more obvious/explicit signage, roadway striping, or lighting to educate/engineer a problem away, rather than enforce it away.
The traffic sergeant and lieutenant are also involved with the Beaverton Traffic Commission. The Commission makes recommendations on all traffic control changes proposed within the City of Beaverton, and is instrumental in the implementation of traffic calming projects. The traffic sergeant provides police perspective via input on all proposed changes, which are facilitated through the City’s Transportation Section of Public Works Department.
Your team is also committed to an ongoing and serious public education effort, involving numerous team members. Some members are nationally certified Child Safety Seat Technicians; experts in teaching occupant protection strategies, with a specific focus on the child passengers.
Team members also partner with the Beaverton School District by providing instruction at numerous teen-driver education classes and demonstrations of crash reconstruction methodologies for applied science classes. The Traffic Safety Team is also instrumental in the production of S.L.A.M. (Simulated Live Action Melodrama) presentations at local area high schools. The S.L.A.M. program recreates an actual DUII-Involved fatal crash, staged using real crashed cars, student actors, and their parents. Partners committed to this worthwhile event include Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, Life Flight, Metro West Ambulance, and the Medical Examiners office. The simulated arrest of the impaired driver that caused the fatal crash culminates this event.
Motor Patrol
Members of Beaverton's motor patrol provide traditional motorcycle traffic enforcement on the streets of your City. The Motor Patrol works predominantly dayshift, focusing on commuter-related traffic issues, and addressing traffic complaints within the City. Their primary function is the deterrence of observed aberrant driving behavior.
Riding motorcycles provides this unit with the mobility to address traffic problems on the spot. Motor officers are trained and held to a very high standard of riding prowess, which provides them the ability to negotiate through heavy traffic and around numerous obstacles in order to intercept and contact observed violators. The motorcycle also allows the officer access to areas that would be "unworkable" in a patrol car.
The backbone of any traffic unit is the motorcycle. The Motor officers utilize the Kawasaki KZ 1000 Police motorcycle, selected for its durability, ease of operation, cost effectiveness, and agility.
Your Motor unit also serves other valuable functions. They are often called upon to assist with honor guard or escort duty, during funeral or dignitary protection details. The Motor unit is also instrumental in providing traffic control during any special events held in the City, and can always be seen leading the show at your annual SummerFest Parade 'on Broadway'.
Traffic Officers
Assigned traffic officers are part of the City's Crash Reconstruction Unit. These officers have received extensive, focused, and specific training in the field of crash investigation. Crash (we don't call them accidents anymore) investigations are serious business, and as a result the Department committed significant resources to the training of these officers. Each officer has successfully completed certified instruction in crash investigation and reconstruction, and, as a result, is fully prepared to work any serious crash. These traffic officers participate in the interagency Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team (C.A.R.T.), and are on call for any serious, qualifying crash that occurs within Washington County.
Your traffic officers also provide a significant enforcement presence on the streets of Beaverton. When not engaged in an investigation, these officers focus on modifying driving behavior, addressing complaints, and working problem areas in their patrol cars.
