Harrisonburg Police Department
Press Release
As part of the Harrisonburg Police Department's increased emphasis on neighborhood policing, officers will begin closely monitoring compliance with traffic laws, especially in residential areas.
"The safety of all citizens who use our streets and roads is closely related to how well all people—motorists and pedestrians—obey the law," says Chief of Police Stephen Monticelli.
"Traffic safety is especially important at this time of year as children begin heading back to neighborhood schools and university students return to local campuses."
Special attention will be paid to speeding and to improper parking that that can lead to crashes and personal injuries.
"Our officers will be attentive to violations, such as parking within intersections or too close to crosswalks or driveways, that reduce sightlines and present increased hazards for drivers and people on foot," Monticelli explains.
They also will pay close attention to vehicles that are parked facing the wrong direction with respect to traffic flow as in violation of City Ordinance 13-1-72
"Virginia law requires that vehicles be parked close to and parallel to right edge of the curb or roadway, except on one-way streets, so that when they pull away they are not heading into on-coming traffic," Monticelli explains. "It's a basic safety concern."
Officers with the department may be issuing warnings now to those violations giving violators ample time to correct their parking/driving habits. This increased enforcement will go into effect August 20, 2012.
