Georgetown Police Department unveils new traffic unit to enforce safety on roads

GEORGETOWN Ky. (WKYT) -The Georgetown Police Department and City Council have received many complaints regarding distracted driving and speeding around town.

Distractions like cell phones can make some drivers forget to pay attention to the roads and they end up speeding or even causing collisions.

That’s where the Georgetown Police come in with a plan to limit cases like these.

“It’s not about the citation being written; it’s more about slow down for us, pay attention to what’s going on on the roadway and put your phone down so that we can keep everyone safe,” Assistant Police Chief Josh Nash said.

Instead of just having officers look for traffic violations in their downtime between calls, Nash said a new unit will have three officers dedicated to traffic.

Nash said the safety of Georgetown all starts by having a relationship with the community and educating them.

“I think everyone can have a refresher on traffic laws and how to handle certain situations,” he said.

Through training courses, the department hopes to engage the community and in return, they hope people will let them know neighborhoods or roadways that might be traffic and speeding heavy.

“That’s our eyes and ears. We rely on the community to give us that information because we can’t be everywhere,” Nash said.

From the community training to more frequent traffic patrol, the department plans to help the community slow down and recognize stop signs, lights, and pedestrian walkways.

“That’s our goal, is to make it safe, reduce collisions and have zero fatalities,” he said.

The department started the new traffic unit on Monday and said they have already received positive feedback on the unit.