Traffic safety continues to be a top priority for Chestermere Municipal Enforcement (CME) as presented in the quarter one report at the June 2 Regular Meeting of Council.
“One of the highlights is violations for excessive speed which includes playground zones,” said Municipal Peace Officer Sergeant Trever Bowman.
“Roughly 30 per cent of the violations issued for speeding were in playground zones in Chestermere,” he said.
CME is continuing regular patrols near school and playground zones while working with schools to address traffic and pedestrian safety concerns.
In January 2020, CME began a one-year pilot program with the Alberta Solicitor General, to operate subdued decaled vehicles, specifically for the enforcement of distracted driving, seat belt use, and stop sign infractions.
The vehicle utilizes less notable decals and no roof-mounted lights.
“The AMA has stated distracted driving is the leading cause of traffic-related injuries and deaths in our province even higher than excessive speed and impaired driving combined. Despite increased public education, Chestermere’s incidents of distracted driving continue to remain steady,” Bowman said.
In quarter one, there were 45 distracted driving charges, compared to 14 in the same quarter last year.
At the end of the pilot, a detailed report will be compiled to evaluate the effectiveness of the vehicle and determine if it will be deployed to other peace officer agencies throughout the province.
Overweight vehicles are another ongoing issue, due to the damage they conflict on the municipal infrastructure.
In quarter one, eight commercial vehicles were found to be operating over the permitted weight limits over highways and bridges.
In addition, charges were given for insecure loads and improperly loaded cargo.
CME reported a 16 per cent increase of violations issued from the 2019 quarter one report.
“A majority of calls were dealing with parking and snow removal,” Bowman said.
“This quarter we saw a 56 per cent increase in snow-related complaints. This increase could be contributed to a number of factors including proactive patrols, prolonged frigid temperatures stopping people from clearing their walks, and a higher than normal snow volume,” he said.
“If we compare quarter one in previous years, we’re looking at a 28 per cent increase from 2019. With our increase of violation tickets, we’re looking at a 22 per cent increase over 2019, he added. “It’s a sizeable jump.”
CME conducted 54 school visits in quarter one while continuing to promote Chestermere’s anti-bullying program.
“Aside from our regular school visits, our officers met with students, parents, and counsellors from the Rocky View School division to work collaboratively to address issues of bullying,” Bowman said.
On March 17, CME began taking measures to reduce any possible exposure of COVID-19 to frontline staff.
These measures included reducing personal contact with the public whenever possible, strict cleaning protocols, and increased Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staffers.
CME also enforced the Public Health Act and orders issued through the Chestermere Emergency Management Agency (CHEMA).
“Our approach has always been to gain compliance through education, so that is why our officers have been out speaking to the public and visiting businesses to assist them as they make changes to their own operations to ensure the safety of their customers,” Bowman said.
CME also conducted foot and UTV patrols in the parks and playgrounds, reminding users about the physical distancing requirements, and providing additional information.
“It is through these patrols and interactions; we have noticed a high level of compliance. However, as the city moves closer to the recovery phase, public education will continue to be an imperative component of our duties,” Bowman said.
CME have also worked with the Chestermere Fire Services (CFS) to partner in over 60 birthday drive-by’s for children in the community who were unable to have a birthday party due to physical distancing requirements in response to COVID-19.
“Thank you for the foot patrols. I’ve got several comments about interaction with the community and the educational component, the efforts are exceptional,” said Mayor Marshall Chalmers.
