PURPOSE:

At the June 17, 2003 City Council meeting, Mayor Stacey Murphy requested to place the matter of public education programs on traffic on the Council agenda for discussion purposes.  This the first step in the one-step, two-step process by which Council can vote by majority to direct staff to perform additional work on this matter.

At this time staff has performed no additional work on the issue pending Council majority direction. However, previous public education efforts have been documented and a summary list has been attached for your review.

RECOMMENDATION:

It is staff�s recommendation that the City Council review the attached summary of public education efforts on traffic issues, initiate discussion on this matter, and direct staff as necessary.

ATTACHMENT

City of Burbank

MEMORANDUM

Date:                6-23-03

To :                  City Manager Mary Alvord

From:               Chief Thomas K. Hoefel

Subject:            Traffic Education Programs

History

Through the years, the Burbank Police Department has prided itself on the ability to respond to crime and traffic problems it has faced. The police department has highly trained, specialized units designed to respond to the calls from the community about high crime or traffic problem areas.

In these difficult economic times, all attempts must be made to educate the general public on matters related to driving and pedestrian safety. Educational programs designed to teach proper driving techniques will help reduce the number of injury and fatal traffic accidents and help minimize the out of pocket expenses for traffic fines and the increased cost of insurance premiums.

BPD Mission

�The mission of the Burbank Police Department, through both preventative and enforcement efforts, is to maintain social order, minimize crime and traffic problems, and provide police services to the community in a courteous, caring and efficient manner�.

With this mission statement in mind, it is incumbent on this Department to work together, as partners with the community, to solve problems, especially with the ever increasing traffic flow. This also means active cooperation between City bureaus like Public Works, Traffic Engineer, etc. to establish safety programs for the community and training for employees to assist the public.

Current Education Programs

1. Bicycle Education School is conducted at various times each year. This program is conducted on Saturdays and is open to young people who have been given written invitations (also known as citations) to attend. The age group for this is generally 5-13 years old. Bicycle and pedestrian safety is the primary goal. Young people are given the opportunity to attend this before starting in the juvenile court system and can attend on multiple occasions. Each year, hundreds of kids and sometimes their parents attend these five classes.

2. DUI Check points are conducted an average of three times per year. Although the most asked question after a check point is usually, how many people you arrested, the actual question should be, how many people did you educate? The success rate for a DUI check point should be measured by the number of people educated, not arrested. Handouts, courtesy of MADD, POALAC, or AAA are generally distributed at these check points containing educational material.

3. The High School traffic education program was re-instituted approximately four years ago. The schools that choose to participate in this program have provided very positive feedback. In the 2002-2003 school years, Officer Timm Dyrness conducted approximately 25 classes to JBHS and Providence High schools.

4. Traffic Officers have made regular appearances on �Street Beat�, at the Community and Youth Academies to help educate and answer questions about traffic safety.

5. Officers staff the traffic awareness both at the annual Police and Fire Service day handing out educational pamphlets to the public.

6. Officers are active participants in the POALAC committees for traffic education and enforcement. These provide additional handout material and man power for traffic education and enforcement days.

7. The last line of education would be the actual enforcement efforts conducted by officers of this Department. Traditionally, Burbank Police Officers write approximately 13,000 citations in a year for what would be considered moving violations. The primary reason for a traffic contact is actually to educate the motorist that a traffic law has been violated. Officers have the discretion to warn or cite a motorist. Studies have shown that increases in citations have an affect on the number of traffic accidents in that area.

All the above programs are helpful in educating the general public about traffic safety. Can we do more in the education aspect for law enforcement? I think the answer is yes. How can we as a department do more? Start by enhancing the current programs already in existence.

Proposed Educational Programs

1. Educate all officers of this Department of the direction and desire of the City Manager, Chief of Police, and City Council to maximize the enforcement efforts and education of the general public on traffic matters.

2. Increase the number of Bicycle and pedestrian safety classes. Encourage more parental involvement in attending these classes. Open the classes to all young people, not just young people who have been issued citations. Establish a set week for these classes and then ask for cooperation of local bicycle shops to post the dates of these classes for the year. This would allow new riders to get some type of training before going out on that new bicycle and possibly getting hurt.

3. Maintain the number of DUI check points at three per year. This number seems to work well and not tax the Traffic Bureau staff with too many additional details. Utilizing the new DUI trailer, purchased with grant money, will help maximize the exposure to the public, improve the efficiency of the officers involved, and assist with the on-going DUI education.

4. Maximize the number of High School traffic training classes conducted by the Traffic Bureau. Encourage all High Schools, BHS, JBHS, Providence, Bell Jeff, and Monterey to be actively involved. Although driver�s education classes are no longer conducted, classes conducted during the 9^th and 10^th grade health and safety classes are a perfect time to address new drivers.

5. Increased appearances on �Street Beat� or other City sponsored programs. This could be done through actual appearances or through the use of video productions. The Police Department has produced videos on skateboard and scooter operation.

6. Increased participation in the POALAC traffic committees. Additional educational ideas and opportunities are very valuable to our evolving education program. Public service announcements are created and the ability to provide those to �Street Beat� or the AMC theaters would be beneficial to reaching a maximum number of people.

7. Task force with allied agencies associated with the POALAC committee to maximize a uniform presence in problem areas.

8. Conduct drivers license check points to encourage license compliance and discourage unlicensed or suspended license drivers from driving in Burbank.

9. Work in partnership with AAA, MADD, or other traffic related organizations to provide educational materials at community events.

10. Investigate the possibility of the reinstatement of a traffic related column in the Leader newspaper. This could be a regular column or on an as need basis from write in questions.

11. Increase the number of police officers assigned to the Traffic Bureau for additional resources for education and enforcement. Currently there are 11 officers assigned to the motor squad. Previous studies have shown a need for an increase in the size of the motor squad.

12. Meetings are planned with representatives of AAA for a joint educational program that would include videos and additional handout material. 

Handout Materials

The Police Department has a number of handout resources available. Pamphlets from AAA, MADD, POALAC, and BPD are handed out at educational events or community meetings. DMV booklets are currently available at the front counter of the Traffic Bureau and are supplied upon request.

Summary

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death nationwide among Americans 1-34 years old. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the total societal cost of crashes exceeds $150 billion annually. During each of the last three years, the Burbank Police Department has averaged approximately 1900 traffic accidents per year. During that same time, almost 520 accidents per year resulted in some type of injury. Five of those accidents resulted in fatalities. It is the duty of this Police Department to find innovative educational and enforcement methods to help minimize the accidents and protect this community. This is not something that will be a short term commitment. Long term plans and programs must be established, monitored, and checked for effectiveness.

Recommendation

Note and file this report. Routinely monitor the effectiveness of the programs that have been implemented by the Police Department. Adjust or alter programs as needed.  

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