Police officers dedicated to road safety

Police department assigns two officers to full-time traffic duty

Daily shifts dedicated to road safety

Story & photos by Andrea Iglar

It is morning rush hour, and you are waiting for a red light to change. When you finally get the green, you eagerly pull through.

But traffic is backed up on the other side of the light, and the rear end of your car is jutting into the intersection.

This is when South Fayette police Officer Sawyer Gray might pull you over.

Officer Sawyer Gray observes traffic near the intersection of Route 50 and Washington Pike in South Fayette in December.

Even on a green light, it is illegal to enter an intersection if you can’t fully fit your car on the other side.

“You can’t block the intersection,” Officer Gray said in December, while observing the traffic lights at Washington Pike and Route 50.

“It’s a huge problem, specifically at this intersection.”

Blocking intersections worsens traffic and spurs more motorists to run red lights, which in turn causes more accidents, she said.

Following the rules of the road— especially in winter weather, when ice and other factors can make driving risky—will help ease gridlock and avoid accidents, she said.

“Just follow the traffic laws, and everybody will get through faster,” Officer Gray said.

Keeping The Roads Safe

The South Fayette Township Police Department this year assigned two full-time officers, Gray and Mike Blocher, to focus on enforcing traffic laws seven days a week. The officers also respond to car accidents that involve injuries or towing.

Police officer Mike Blocher patrols Old Oakdale Road.

Police Chief John Phoennik said the community’s growing population—up more than 27% over the past decade— has resulted in greater traffic volumes and, therefore, more accidents.

Recognizing this trend, the township Board of Commissioners gradually has expanded the force to 23 officers, giving the chief enough staffing to assign full-time traffic duty without taking away from regular patrols.

Dedicated traffic officers can focus on problem areas without continual interruptions to answer calls, he said.

“The ultimate goal is keeping the roads as safe as we possibly can,” Chief Phoennik said. “I call it traffic education, not traffic enforcement."

A speed limit sign appears in the side mirror of a police vehicle on Old Oakdale Road.

In 2022, the police department issued 1,813 written warnings and 591 traffic citations—representing a 249% increase in traffic stops over the prior year.

Since the two dedicated traffic officers didn’t begin their duties until August and October, the number of traffic stops is expected to total even higher in 2023.

Eyeing Inspection Stickers

Traffic officers primarily enforce the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code (Title 75), which covers an array of traffic laws, from disobeying a stop sign to failing to hold state-required documents.

Drivers must have a valid driver’s license, vehicle registration, insurance and inspection.

Police officer Mike Blocher speaks with a driver during a traffic stop on Mohawk Road in December.

Officer Blocher has an eagle eye for expired inspection stickers.

Passing a car on Millers Run Road in December, he spotted an expired windshield safety inspection sticker and turned around to pull over the driver.

At the roadside, he approached the car window with a friendly greeting and clearly stated the reason for the stop.

Returning to the police vehicle with the motorist's registration card and license, he used a handheld device to scan the cards. The driver’s information immediately displayed on a laptop mounted between the front seats.

In some cases, other information about the driver may pop up as well, such as any outstanding warrants, gun permits or protection from abuse orders.

In this instance, Blocher used the laptop to fill out a warning form, producing it instantly on a small printer mounted to the dashboard.

The warning gave the driver 10 days to take the car to a state-certified mechanic to pass annual inspection.

“That’s why we have inspections in Pennsylvania, so you’re driving a safe vehicle on the roadway,” he said.

Referring to a driver's license and registration card, South Fayette police Officer Mike Blocher keys information into an in-car laptop during a traffic stop in December.

Deciding On Warning Or Ticket

Blocher regularly runs license plate numbers with his in-car computer to check for valid registrations.

One day, this activity resulted in towing a vehicle operated by someone without a valid license, registration, insurance or inspection.

“I can’t let him drive under all of these circumstances,” Blocher said.

The stop resulted in roughly $1,000 in fines.

But tickets are not moneymakers.

For example, if someone is found guilty of running a stop sign, only $12.50 out of the $157.50 ticket goes to the police department. The remaining fees are distributed to the state, the court system and emergency medical services.

Considering the time and resources expended by local officers to issue a ticket and attend magistrate hearings for contested citations, issuing tickets actually results in a monetary loss.

Officer Blocher leaves a parking spot where he was monitoring the stop signs at the intersection of Old Oakdale Road and Millers Run Road.

But the goal isn’t to make money; it’s to educate drivers and make the roads safer, Chief Phoennik said.

“I emphasize to all of our officers that they have discretion whether they issue a citation or a warning,” he said.

Being nice won’t necessarily get you out of a ticket, but it’s best to be respectful and polite when police pull you over, Officer Gray said.

“I do appreciate when people say, ‘You’re right, I shouldn’t have messed up.’ I don’t like when people argue with me. It’s probably going to turn out better for you if you have a positive attitude,” she said.

Any driver wishing to argue a ticket can request a court hearing with the magistrate. In South Fayette, that’s District Judge Maureen McGrawDesmet.

Measuring Speeds

The school zone in South Fayette drops the speed limit on Old Oakdale Road from 30 mph to 15 mph three times each weekday. The temporary speed limit reduction is indicated by signs and flashing yellow lights.

The school zone reduces the speed limit three times a day near the South Fayette school campus.

The slower speed eases the flow of school buses and cars, and it ensures quicker stops in an area that serves numerous children.

Officers sometimes park on South Fayette School District property to clock speeds in the school zone.

Using a calibrated, handheld speed timing device called AccuTrak, they measure how long it takes a vehicle to cross two lines that are painted on the road 117 feet apart, and then use the data to calculate speed.

Police officers monitor speed throughout the township, including in neighborhoods where residents themselves usually are the culprits.

Officer Blocher holds an AccuTrak speed monitoring device.

Another speed monitoring method uses ENRADD, or Electronic Non-Radar Device, a wireless device that uses a laser to clock speed.

Officers also may engage in pacing by matching the speed of another vehicle for at least three-tenths of a mile. The speed reading comes from the police car speedometer, which is routinely calibrated.

Drivers also may be cited for traveling at an unsafe speed when an officer observes a moving vehicle in a situation where any reasonable person would say the speed was excessive, Officer Gray said.

She noted that just because a maximum speed limit is, for example, 35 mph, doesn’t mean a driver must go that fast.

“You must drive what is reasonable for conditions,” she said. “You should only travel as fast as is prudent for the safety of others.”

The police department in South Fayette is among only a handful in the region to have a dedicated traffic unit.

“It goes back to what you can do with your department when you have the officers,” Chief Phoennik said. “We’re fortunate.”

I call it traffic education, not traffic enforcement.

—Police Chief John Phoennik