The Crosslake Police Department is now better equipped to identify vehicles driving at illegal and unsafe speeds.
The department is one of only nine law enforcement agencies in Minnesota that was awarded a Kustom Signal, Pro Laser III, LIDAR (light detection and ranging) unit for participating in the Safe and Sober enforcement effort during October.
The October Mobilization effort, combining enforcement with education, raised awareness of the problem with unbelted vehicle occupants on our streets and highways. The LIDAR was awarded by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety.
"Traffic enforcement may not be seen as the most glamorous job in the department" Crosslake Police Chief Robert Hartman said in a news release, "but it is more likely to save a life than nearly anything else we can do. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for Minnesotans usually considered too young to die - those between one and thirty-four years old.
"It's impossible to tell exactly how many or whose lives are saved when we emphasize traffic enforcement. The result is a death or injury that doesn't happen. We just know it changes driver's behaviors."
Tom Kummrow, a Law Enforcement Liaison for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said the Crosslake Police Department received the LIDAR unit in recognition of their commitment to enforcing traffic laws every day, not just when we're able to pay for overtime hours.
The pin point accuracy of the LIDAR unit allows the officer to check the speed of the vehicles even in high traffic situations. The LIDAR unit was presented to Hartman of the Crosslake Police Department at the Crosslake City Council meeting on Jan. 10.
Crosslake is a part of a traffic safety coalition that works under a Safe and Sober Grant from the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety. Almost every agency in Crow Wing County participated in the cooperative effort to remove impaired drivers from the roads in Crow Wing County and make sure all occupants in motor vehicles are buckled up.
Safe and Sober is a statewide and national law enforcement campaign designed to increase seat belt and child seat use and decrease the incidence of impaired driving. Hartman emphasized the importance of how Crosslake Police Sgt. Erik Lee, coordinator of the Crosslake Safe & Sober project, worked diligently coordinating the Crosslake Police officers' schedules to place the most emphasis on safer roads with-in the areas surrounding Crosslake.
Comments (15)
Add commentIt should work well with
It should work well with their confusing speed limit signs.
As you go north on 66 you'll see a speed limit sign saying 45 mph immediately followed by a 35 mph and then no sign for a long time. Then another 45 mph sign immediately followed by a 35 mph sign. If you obey the signs you'll drive short spurts (100 yard) of 45 mph followed by a sudden drop to 35 mph.
It's almost as if they put the signs up in the wrong order or maybe the city really wanted a 35 mph zone but the state mandated 45 mph.
It's just weird.
lol, I have seen those very
lol, I have seen those very signs and thought, wth?
Accusation
A speeding ticket is an accusation, it is not proof. I know, I know, the court doesn't care about that they only want the revenue from the ticket. The officer can claim (hear say) that his equipment clocked you speeding. He could also claim that you were powered by 8 tiny rain deer. The rule of law is "proof" not "accusation". But that is when we used to have a republic.
I think they put those signs
I think they put those signs that way to confuse us motorist?
Its very confusing, and not legal. To be a legal speed zone it has to have signage stating begin 35 mph in 1/5 mile, and at the end of it , it should have another sign stating end 35 mph zone.
It will be a good money maker the way they have it , for the city of CL
Ya THINK, or is it Ya THING...lol
Also love "technaledgy"...tehe....
I never won no spelling bee that is fer sure
Howdy Mr. Purpleduck,
I must confess, I never was too good of a speller. And I went to school "back in the day" when the focus was on practical things (I think I got it right that time!) that really mattered, such as reading, riting and rithmatic; gun safety and ownership; and the holy bible, when we exorcized our constitutional right for school prayer!).
How times have changed. In schools today with all the bloated waist of the adminstratiors, etc, i would probably spell even worse than I do today!
DNTMG
speed signs
The way i had it explained to me is that the white speed limit signs are the actual speed limit, and the yellow signs are the advised speed. They are just like the yellow speed signs that are under the curve direction signs.
Yes, the yellow 35mph signs are advisory
They are not speed limit signs. One is near the fire station and one near a crosswalk, and each is accompanied by the appropriate warning sign.
"Advisory Speed Limits"
"This black and yellow speed sign is used to advise motorists of a comfortable speed to navigate certain situations. It is used with a warning sign. For instance, when traveling on a winding road, the curve warning sign would be used with an advisory speed sign. This sign may be posted by the local road authority on local roads."
speeding with Crosslake road conditions
Can you really speed with the conditions the roads are in Crosslake? I thought with the county plows based there the roads would be better in Crosslake but actually the farther you get out of Crosslake, the better the roads become! Bet that new radar gun gets good use on County Rd 11 in that first straight stretch dip where the CL PD likes to hide!
FOOLS!
Fishhead - the first 45 mph sign is at Maucieri's where it turns from 55 to 45. It then changes to 35 at the bridge by Riverside and stays 35 until after the next bridge where it goes back to 45 all the way to County Road 1. Not too hard to understand if you pay attention!
Good for you Sober for 30 years!
Boaz1950 - do some research and get back to me about how much revenue the police department actually gets from a ticket. I think its about 13% and the money goes to the city which in turn goes back to the taxpayers.
Speaking of taxpayers, Mr. do not take my gun. It did say in the article that the LIDAR unit was "awarded" to the Crosslale Police Department. Which means the taxpayers didn't pay for it. 9 were awarded to PD's in the state. Good Job to our police department!
Purpleduck - good catch! if everyone was as smart and could spell only as good as "do not take my gun" then we would definately be in a world of "hert" lol! (by the way, I like my guns too!).
jcam007 and wetbiker is right according to my research on the subject.
jeanmn - I guess all I have to say for you is to obey the law and quit speeding. Then you will not have to worry about where the cops "hide".
I am writing in defense to all of you that don't like our Crosslake Police Department. They do a good job and are not out there to get us. They are there becuase we as a society chose them to be. I guess the point I am trying to make is that I have great respect for the guys and gals that protect us. And yes, they may write us some tickets but that is why they do it. To protect us!
This coming from somebody who the police have helped when help was needed!
Radar $$$$
If the money comes from the federal goverment didn't
they take it from a tax payer at one time or did they pick it off
there money tree????
$$
"The LIDAR was awarded by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety."
100% taxpayer funded.
Don't have to speed to see them hiding.
You don't have to speed to see them "hiding" on the shoulder of the road with NO parking lights or ANY lights on while they sit in thier car and radar. They also like to sit across/on the local bike/walking path, blocking it, to radar on Daggett Pine Road. I have seen them many times at night with no parking lights on... sitting totally dark. I believe that trail is marked no motorized vehicles also. And by the way... I don't normally speed so am not really worried about this New radar device. Just wonder how safe and legal it is to sit dark on the side of the road at night just to catch a few speeders?
Speed
The point of all this is being missed. A new radar detector is irrelevent. Where is the proof that this new radar clocked you speeding other than the officer "said so".??? We are avoiding the rule of law of evidence not accusation. Claiming that a radar detector clocked you speeding is "hear say" not evidence. Do I think this will ever be changed, NO....