2010 was a very busy year for the Traffic Services Section. In addition to the routine traffic enforcement duties, this section also planned, coordinated, and participated in over 100 special events. Officers were also very busy working the numerous construction zones as the city underwent another year of extensive construction projects.

The red light camera program implemented in May 2004 continued to be a valid community program by reducing the number of red light violations in 2010. On July 2, the camera was turned off due to an impending lawsuit that was filed questioning the legality of the camera system. From January 1 through July 2, 1,684 citations were issued at the 10th Street and Minnesota Avenue intersection.

The two Traffic Case Investigators handled 1,570 cases involving hit-and-run crashes, reckless driving complaints, and serious injury and fatality crashes. The TCI’s also assisted the field Traffic and Parks officers by working many different special events throughout the course of the year.

All members of the section worked on a wide array of duties during 2010 that included but were not limited to:

• 7 house moves
• 369 funeral escorts
• Provided security or traffic control for over 100 special events in downtown Sioux Falls, parks, bike trails, and the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds.

The Traffic Section made an application to the state of South Dakota Office of Highway Safety for grant funds to continue the fight toward ridding the highways of the drinking and impaired driver. These funds are used to buy equipment and pay the wages of additional officers to arrest the drinking driver and enforce the seatbelt and other traffic laws to make the highways and streets a safer place for all motorists. With the awarded grant funds of $25,000 in 2010, Traffic Services conducted seven separate saturation patrols. With an average of eight additional officers working these patrols, 26 individuals were arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI), 161 seatbelt citations were written, and 414 speeding citations were given for a total of 1,046 citations issued during the saturation patrols. Traffic officers assisted the South Dakota Highway Patrol with two of their sobriety checkpoints, resulting in 11 additional DWI arrests.

The Traffic Services Section is also responsible for patrolling the City’s park system. Four parks officers patrol and monitor the over 70 developed City parks, enforcing the laws as necessary. The officers utilize motorcycles, an ATV, and marked patrol units to cover the 20-plus miles of bike trails, Great Bear Ski Resort, and five Community Centers throughout the city. The officers also assist traffic officers working special events, funeral escorts, and enforcement projects throughout the year.

In August of 2010, the parks officers, the Special Events Sergeant and the Special Events portion of Traffic Services were transferred to the Community Services Division.

The Motor Unit consists of seven Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycles that are utilized daily, seven months of the year. The Motor Unit is involved in traffic enforcement, funeral escorts, special events, patrolling the city’s bike trails, and assisting the parks officers as needed.

The South Dakota Law Enforcement Training Center provided funding in 2010 for an 8-hour Police Motorcycle Operators course and two 16-hour recertification courses. Lt. Jerome Miller, Officer Bret Hamlyn, and Officer Hector Soto from Traffic Services were the instructors for the courses. Police officers from the Sioux Falls Police Department, Brookings Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Aberdeen Police Department, and Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office attended the Police Motorcycle Operators training. Eighteen “Motor Officers” completed the 16-hour recertification courses. These officers came from the Fargo Police Department, The Iowa Department of Public Safety, Madison Police Department, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Brookings Police Department, Watertown Police Department, and Vermillion Police Department.