'Cops in Crosswalks' Campaign Yields Over 100 Tickets

Fort Lee Police issued 106 summonses to drivers who failed to stop for a decoy cop dressed in plainclothes who crossed a marked crosswalk during their two day 'cops in crosswalks' detail this week.

New Jersey's state crosswalk laws require drivers to "stop and stay stopped for a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk."

Fort Lee received a $15,000 grant to participate in the Department of Highway and Traffic Safety's 'Cops in Crosswalks' Decoy Program this spring. The program places plainclothes police officers as decoys in designated crosswalks to enforce New Jersey's crosswalk laws that are designed to protect pedestrians. Fort Lee had four pedestrian fatalities in 2012 and over 60 struck pedestrians. There has already been one pedestrian fatality in 2013.

According to Deputy Chief Tim Ford, 50 summonses were issued on Wednesday's detail and 56 were issued Friday.

Drivers who failed to stop to allow the decoy cop to cross at the pedestrian crosswalk were asked to pull over where they were issued a traffic violation that carries a fine of $230 and adds two points onto their driver's license.

"Hopefully, we will see the summons count drop as our education efforts succeed," Ford said.

The 'cops in crosswalks' detail will continue throughout the spring at Fort Lee's busiest intersections.

"We're going to focus on pedestrian-heavy areas like houses of worship and schools," Ford said. "With Little League season right around the corner, we also want to focus our attention to Whitey Lang Field on Anderson Avenue which is heavily trafficked by both cars and pedestrians during ball games," he added.

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