South Brunswick Police report an increase in the number of speeding tickets issued.
By: Joseph Harvie
The South Brunswick Police Department issued 1,040 traffic tickets in September, a 291percent increase from September 2004 when 266 tickets were issued, according to South Brunswick Police spokesman Detective James Ryan.
The increase in tickets prompted the Township Council Tuesday to discuss the possibility of hiring a third municipal judge. Township Manager Matt Watkins said Tuesday a new judge might need to be added so that the municipal court does not get backlogged.
Detective Ryan said the increase in tickets is due to Chief Raymond Hayducka’s Proactive Saturation Traffic Enforcement Detail.
"The goal of the program is to put a number of officers in a specific area, as small as a half mile, and saturate the area with enforcement and then move randomly to another location in town," Detective Ryan said.
Police will send about five members of the force to the small geographical areas and stop vehicles for any violations that occur, Detective Ryan said. He said police would stay in the areas for about an hour and then move to another location.
Detective Ryan also said the areas of town are chosen based on concerns from citizens, known trouble spots and heavy traffic locations.
Detective Ryan said police have targeted areas including Route 130 and Route 1. He said they also have targeted east-west roadways, including Route 522, New Road and Henderson Road.
The township police will work in conjunction with the state Department of Transportation and the Monroe Township Police Department to enforce and inspect commuter vans which may be overloaded with passengers driving in the warehouse district of the township near N.J. Turnpike Exit 8A.
Mr. Watkins said the proposed ordinance would not appoint a municipal judge or a pay scale for the position, just allow the council to do so.
Mr. Watkins said that there currently are no municipal court cases that are more than 30 days old.