Senators Press for Action Against Traffic Violations Amid Agency Understaffing

On Tuesday, several lawmakers on the Committee of Homeland Security, Justice and Public Safety fretted over the lack of traffic citations coming from the agencies before the committee.

“We have people running red lights, we have people operating vehicles unregistered, no license plate, broken windshield — everything and we have some 22 certified law enforcement agencies, not just the police department,” committee chair Senator Kenneth Gittens stated. “If all our law enforcement entities are doing their fair share, we will have one of the safest communities,” he declared.

Officers within enforcement divisions of various government agencies – the Taxicab Commission, Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, Department of Health, and Department of Planning and Natural Resources among them – are sworn peace officers with the authority to issue traffic citations. However, following a question from Senator Novelle Francis, agency representatives cited understaffing as the main reason for not pursuing that aspect of enforcement more vigorously.