Traffic Cops Put Clamp On School Zones Deputies, Troopers Write A Flurry Of Speeding Citations

Like the rain, the speeders came in spurts.

And when it rained on Tuesday morning, the drops fell fast and often.

Cars rushing through Spokane Valley school zones were the focus of a joint policing effort between the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department and the Washington State Patrol. Seven deputies and four troopers aimed their radar guns at school zones during the emphasis patrol, which began Monday morning and runs through today.

“The speeding problem in Spokane County has gotten out of control and we’re doing everything possible to educate the public,” said Jim Speaks, a corporal with the Sheriff’s Department traffic unit.

Keystone, University, McDonald and Broadway Elementary schools were featured during the Tuesday morning patrol. University High School was also scrutinized. Deputies hoped to make it to most of the Valley schools.

“You can’t really get anywhere going faster because you’ve got to stop at the lights and stop signs,” said Deputy Don Manning. “All you do is created a hazard for yourself.”

As if on cue, a woman driving a white Cadillac bolted past Manning’s unmarked patrol car. Brake lights showed bright red as the car neared six orange traffic cones marking a crosswalk across McDonald Road.

Three girls - backpacks draped over their shoulders - walked down the sidewalk across McDonald Road from Keystone Elementary when the woman sped by. The girls were headed for the crosswalk.

“You know, (speed zone signs) are there for a reason,” Manning said. “That’s to keep the kids from getting run over.”

Manning alone wrote 13 tickets totaling $3,000 on Monday in the Central Valley School District.

“Three thousand bucks,” Manning said. “Normally that takes me a couple of weeks to write that many tickets.”

The citations were not a case of law enforcement officers being overly critical. In many cases, the tickets the deputies and troopers wrote were for 15 to 20 miles per hour above the posted speed limit.

WSP Trooper Tina Wallman, who also wrote 19 citations in the CV district on Monday, reminded drivers that they needed to slow down in school zones all day.

“They don’t see kids, so they don’t think they need to do the school zone thing,” Wallman said. “You don’t know when they’re going to come out or dismiss early.”

Markings in a school zone leave room for few excuses from speeders, Manning said.

“There’s a crosswalk, school zone signs and humongous traffic cones here, you ought to be able to see it,” he said. “People need to start slowing down in school zones. In fact they need to start slowing down period.”

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