LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) -More than 100 Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department traffic officers may vote soon to move away from four 10-hour shifts a week, to 12-hour shifts to help keep the public safer. Police Union leadership says this will allow more traffic officers to be visible on the streets and go after problem drivers.
“Please understand they’re out there, not with an axe to grind with the public. It’s really just to stop scooping people up off the roadways that are losing their lives,” said Steve Grammas the president of the Las Vegas Police Protection Association.
Traffic officers are being heard this week about the measure and may vote this week or early next week on changing shifts. Grammas says offices may target weekends between 10pm and 2am to deal with bad drivers.
“Those young kids getting out of the clubs and driving and making bad decisions, getting behind the wheel of cars. That I got to imagine, that’s probably a focal point,” said Grammas.
Police haven’t said where the public may see more traffic officers as part of the idea.
“I think it’s just generally having more motors being able to respond to some of those hot spot areas. Back when I was a young officer, Decatur and Sahara was a huge problematic intersection. And so, I think what this will give them is, they’ll start doing that, those metrics, seeing where they’re seeing an uptick in red light running, accidents, things like that and then be able to kind of focus in on those,” said Grammas.
Grammas says instead of four 10-hour shifts a week, traffic officers would work three 12-hour shifts one week, and the next week three 12-hour shifts and one eight-hour shift. He says this won’t impact the hit and run detail, fatal detail or trainers.
“I hope that people start to realize Uber, Lift, cabs, whatever it is, a family member, utilize them. Utilize them so you don’t have to worry about losing your driver’s license, going to jail, paying fines, potentially harming somebody. Those are things that I really hope people really take away. If there’s one thing I can tell you, stop drinking and driving. That’s such a problem in our town,” said Grammas.
Grammas say if the more than 100 traffic officers approve the measure, the public could see the change in the first or second week of March.
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