Extra Officers Patrolling School Zones for First Days Back

Several metro school districts, including Oklahoma City, are welcoming back students this week. Tuesday, Edmond students returned to class, and speeding drivers were given a harsh reminder school is back in session.

Tuesday, August 18th 2009, 6:35 pm

By: News 9


By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Several metro school districts, including Oklahoma City, are welcoming back students this week. Tuesday, Edmond students returned to class, and speeding drivers were given a harsh reminder school is back in session.

A ticket will cost you $249 if you're caught speeding in a school zone. Extra police officers in Edmond warned drivers if you don't follow the signs, there's a price to pay.

Curtis Thompson has been a police officer for ten years. He knows the first day of school is always a busy one.

"People are not accustomed over the summer break to school-- so they haven't been paying attention to it," said Edmond Police Officer Curtis Thompson.

Thompson was one of a dozen officers patrolling the city's school zones. The stepped up manpower is aimed at reminding drivers to slow down. Thompson admits he's not handing out warnings, but rather tickets.

"The reason for it is you're going to get caught. And one of the ways getting caught today is a citation-- but you could get caught hitting a child and injuring them or you could get caught killing a child and that's unacceptable," Officer Thompson said.

Michele Osmus has a sixth grader who is starting middle school. She likes the idea of keeping drivers on the lookout for police.

"As a mom for safety, for the kids who sometimes don't pay attention...a lot of drivers who don't pay attention," Osmus said.

During Tuesday morning's rainy drive, officers made more than 50 stops, half of those for speeding.

"We really want parents to talk to their teens about driving in a school zone and driving in general. And not be on their cell phones, not to be texting. This has become such a serious problem," said Edmond Police Department spokesperson Glynda Chu.

Meanwhile for officers like Thompson, he has just one request.

"100 percent of your responsibility while you're driving is to pay attention to what's going on, on the road. If you're paying attention you'll see the school zones," Officer Thompson said.

By the afternoon, over 100 drivers had been stopped in a school zone. One person was given a ticket for reckless driving, which cost $549.

The extra officers were paid through a grant from the Highway Traffic Safety Office.

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