CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC - The State Center Police Department, in partnership with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshalltown Police Department and the Iowa State Patrol, led a traffic enforcement initiative on Highway 30 over the weekend.

STATE CENTER — On Saturday, June 22, the State Center Police Department, with the assistance of traffic safety partners from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshalltown Police Department and the Iowa State Patrol – Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit completed a 24-hour traffic project which began on Friday, June 21 at 5 a.m.

The focus of the collaborative effort was to enforce traffic laws and provide both education and enforcement efforts to motorists traveling along the Highway 30 near State Center in light of the increase of personal injury accidents along the corridor near the 172-mile marker.

“This time frame was specifically selected to allow for the engagement of drivers during high traffic volume times of the commute to and from work, commercial traffic through the day and night and to address impaired driving behaving associated with weekends,” State Center Police Chief Jon Thomas said.

As a result of the project, over 100 driver contacts were made in the 24-hour period. A total of 130 contacts were made, 115 of which were warnings and 15 citations. Three drivers were identified as impaired to some degree but not that which required law enforcement action. Of the 9 speeding citations issued, five of the nine were for speeds more than 20 miles an hour or more over the speed limit.

In addition, the Iowa State Patrol’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Unit stopped 14 commercial vehicles, placing 6 of those vehicles out of service and prohibiting them from continuing to operate due to safety related violations.

The fact that 88% of the contacts made during this event were issued warnings truly reflects the intent of this event was to educate drivers and not just write tickets or generate revenue, as implied by the reaction from some who were not pleased about the project. Overall, the project had widespread community support and the pre-event advisory was engaged on Facebook over 33,000 times.

It was made possible through funds awarded by the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau.

Questions regarding this release should be directed to State Center Police Chief Jon Thomas. Chief Thomas may be reached by e-mail at jthomas@statecenterpolice.org or by phone at 641.754.5725.