County begins long series of traffic-law enforcement campaigns County begins long series of traffic-law enforcement campaigns (April 13, 2005)

By David Boyce

Almanac Staff Writer

The state grant that paid for two new motorcycles now used in traffic patrols in Woodside and Portola Valley will also fund a host of traffic-law enforcement campaigns in San Mateo County over the next 21 months.

Starting this month and continuing until December 2006, county police agencies, working together, will be running several traffic-law enforcement operations per month, including drunken-driving checkpoints, campaigns to rein in red-light runners and seatbelt scofflaws, and stings in which plainclothes officers pose as pedestrians in crosswalks and cite drivers who don't stop.

Funding for the joint operations comes from a $910,000 grant from the Office of Traffic Safety, part of the state's Business, Transportation and Housing agency, said Tim Birch of the Daly City Police Department, which is administering the grant. The grant is a pilot program in which San Mateo County is the only participant.

The county used about $260,000 in grant money to purchase 10 new police motorcycles, two of which the Sheriff's Office is using for traffic patrols in Woodside and Portola Valley.

The grant money will also fund two drunken-driving trials in high school gymnasiums in the county, said Mr. Birch.

These will not be mock trials. The defendants waive rights to a jury and the gym -- with students in attendance -- becomes a real court during the trial, said Mr. Birch. This will be a first for San Mateo County, he said.

In Santa Clara County, in exchange for their participation in the program, defendants often negotiate plea bargains with judges, said Kimberly Garcia of the Office of Traffic Safety.

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