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Police are planning a sneak attack on unsuspecting speeders and unlawful drivers in an effort to combat a rise in traffic fatalities. GOTCHA!
Cops plan
stealth raid on
reckless drivers
Officers in unmarked cars will be
joining you on Oahu's roads,
watching for your
traffic offensesBy Jaymes K. Song
Star-BulletinThe Honolulu Police Department will soon start using unmarked police cars as part of its traffic enforcement program.
"It's sometimes difficult to catch speeders and other violators because they'll correct their driving as soon as they see a marked police car," Police Chief Lee Donohue said.
"With the use of unmarked cars, the next person that you tailgate or cut off could be a police officer."
The unmarked cars, anything from a FordExplorer to a Chevrolet Camaro, will patrol the freeways for speeders, tailgaters, reckless drivers and other violators, then radio another officer on a police motorcycle positioned farther up the freeway to pull the driver over, according to police.
Only uniformed officers in marked police cars or motorcycles will make the traffic stop, police said. The officer who witnessed the violation will issue the citation.
"Hopefully it will address aggressive driving behavior," said BryanWauke of the Traffic Division. "That's really the purpose, not to give citations."
Forty people have died on Oahu roadways this year so far, almost matching 1999's total of 47.
Speed was a factor in half of all the fatal accidents this year, Wauke said.
The unmarked police car is the latest among several programs or campaigns designed to slow and curb unruly motorists.
Police gave out a record 36,193 speeding citations last year, surpassing1998's total of about 23,735 and 1997's total of 22,491.
Through June, police had issued 18,424, on pace with last year's record, Wauke said.
If the unmarked car program is successful, the program will be expanded, Wauke said.
Police wouldn't specify in what areas the unmarked cars will be targeting people.