NCJ Number
78745
Date Published
1977
Length
231 pages
Annotation
The objective of this effort, phase 1 of a three-phase project, is to develop a profile of existing practices, techniques, and procedures used by State police and highway patrols in enforcing the national maximum speed limit (NMSL).
Abstract
This document records the internal and external influences relating to the agencies' NMSL enforcement, and agencies' resources, responsibilities, and NMSL enforcement priorities. The report is a compilation of the information provided in a resource document (see NCJ 78746) and the observations made during field visits to 10 States. The final report includes information and commentary which will permit immediate use of the report in planning the operation of speed enforcement programs. The report concludes that within the limits permitted by available resources in personnel and materials, the State law enforcement agencies are enforcing the NMSL vigorously; that enforcement actions are taken by nearly all officers in nearly all jurisdictions when violator speeds reach 65 or 66 miles per hour (mph); and that the number of violations at speeds of 80 mph are rare. The report also finds that the majority of the public is accepting the NMSL, that sufficient moving radar units should be acquired by each State law enforcement agency to permit all onduty units to be so equipped, and that the widespread use of citizen band radios by the motoring public requires camouflaging of some reasonable proportion of law enforcement units. Data tables, the resource document, a summary of patrol configurations used for speed enforcement by State enforcement agencies, illustrations, and a list of State abbreviations are provided. (Author summary modified)