Resources for Law Enforcement
As a member of local law enforcement, your presence and expertise are the “Enforcement” and “Education” pillars that transform a paper map into a living, breathing safety plan. Your unique vantage point, whether as a patrol officer witnessing daily traffic patterns or a School Resource Officer (SRO) building relationships on campus, allows you to identify “near-miss” hotspots and behavioral trends that data alone might miss. By serving on a school’s Safety Committee, you provide the critical authoritative voice needed to vet safe crossing points, manage the chaos of drop-off zones, and ensure that pedestrian routes are strategically defended against high-speed or distracted driving. Your involvement doesn’t just reduce crashes, it builds community trust, as parents are far more likely to encourage their children to “walk and roll” when they know the routes have been professionally evaluated and are actively protected by those who serve their neighborhoods.
How Law Enforcement Can Assist Schools
Law enforcement agencies play a dual role in both the development of the plan and the active promotion of safe habits. Here is how you can assist:
How Law Enforcement Can Assist Schools
- Provide Hard Data: Share pedestrian, bicycle, and motor vehicle crash data or "traffic violation patterns" for the vicinity of the school to help committees avoid high-risk intersections.
- Audit for Personal Security: Use your expertise to evaluate routes not just for traffic safety, but for personal security concerns such as neighborhood crime hot spots or areas with poor visibility.
- Standardize School Zones: Assist school administrators in reviewing the placement of school zone speed signs and ensuring they align with Utah MUTCD standards for maximum driver compliance.
Active Promotion & Encouragement
- Lead Bicycle Rodeos: Partner with the school to host a "Bike Rodeo," where officers help children practice signaling, balance, and obstacle avoidance in a controlled, fun environment.
- Conduct Helmet Checks: Use your authority to add credibility to safety messages, such as teaching the "2-V-1" rule (2 fingers above eyebrows, straps forming a "V" around ears, 1 finger under the chin).
- Modeling Good Behavior: Use non-motorized patrols (bike or foot) during school hours to model safe pedestrian habits and engage directly with students as they walk and roll to school.
- Promote the Walk & Roll Challenge: Act as a guest "celebrity" during monthly prize drawings to build excitement and show that your agency values active, healthy students.
Enforcement & Operations
- Evaluate Drop-Off Procedures: Help principals design or refine loading zone procedures that prevent illegal double-parking and mid-block crossings.
- Targeted Speed Enforcement: Conduct periodic speed studies and enforcement operations in a zone around the school, especially during the high-risk first weeks of the semester.
- Crossing Guard Support: Coordinate with crossing guards to ensure they have clear lines of communication with your department regarding aggressive or repeat-offending drivers.
Enforcement & Safety Checklist
- Safety Committee Participation: Join the Community Council/ Safety Committee at your local schools.
- School Zone Visibility: Schedule high-visibility patrol presence during morning and afternoon bell hours.
- Social Media Collaboration: Partner with the school or PTA to share "Safety Tip of the Month" posts or "Back to School" traffic reminders.