Remember the gimmicky "Click it or ticket" program, compliments of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration?
Apparently there wasn't enough clicking, or police departments across the country needed a reason to ask for more money, because the program is now new and "improved" and has been adopted by the Chandler Police Department.
Welcome to the next generation of the all-important seat-belt enforcement: "Click it or Ticket Next Generation."
The Chandler Police Department announced yesterday that it will participate in the program, thanks to a $30,000 grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.
An $8,000 grant the department received for the program in February will run dry on September 27 but the new money will emable the Chandler cops to schedule an additional two "enforcement weeks;" one from September 27 to October 3 and another in February.
The Chandler PD did not immediately return phone calls today, and it's unfortunate because we have a few questions.
First, why the hell does it cost $30,000 to write seat-belt tickets for two weeks? Don't traffic cops write seat-belt tickets everyday anyway? Are we to believe that if we're not wearing our seat belts anytime outside of these designated weeks we wont get a ticket?
Second, if something is different about these weeks and the $30,000 is going toward increased units looking for the dastardly folks who don't comply to seat-belt laws, we're equally pissed.
Last week in Chandler, a youth minister was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old girl, and a 3-week-old girl died after police say her father poked her in the eyes, and dropped her on the ground.
Perhaps diverting officers from enforcing these laws might not be the best course of action. Just a thought.
Anyhow, Chandler PD, give us a jingle, we'll talk about it.
