Summer safety: Police declare Operation Safe Summer successful

A first-year program aimed at keeping seat belts secured, driver’s sober and gangs in check was a success, according to local law enforcement officials.

Lasting from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the multi-pronged Operation Safe Summer focused on traffic safety and gang activity, according to Lt. James Schoeffel of the Clovis Police Department.

The Curry County Sheriff’s Office, state and Clovis police departments as well as probation and parole offices worked 1,650 extra hours in an attempt to make Clovis safer this summer, said Lt. Rich Johnson, the operation’s coordinator.

The program was funded by federal and state grants.

“None of it was billed to the city; all of it was funded by outside grants,” Johnson said.

Gang crime was one tier of the program and Clovis police arrested 75 gang members on warrants, weapon, narcotic and driving violations, Johnson said.

Traffic violations such as driving while intoxicated and not wearing seat belts were also a focus of the initiative.

Police handed out 1,125 moving violation tickets from June through August, Johnson said.

Most notable was a 122 percent increase in seat belt violations from 2004 to 2005, according to Municipal and Magistrate court records. These violations take into account tickets and warnings.

There were 71 violations for driving while intoxicated in 2004 between June and August, compared to 63 in 2005, according to court records.

District Attorney Matt Chandler said it is difficult to gauge the success of Operation Safe Summer by looking at arrests and tickets issued alone.

“There are also unseen numbers; how many people decided to buckle up or not drink and drive because of their awareness of Operation Safe Summer?” Chandler said.

“Increased patrol along with proactive programs and activities are beneficial and keep us safe.”