Excerpt From The Daily Astorian - August
24, 2007
Police
Chief Deu Pree*:
"Our
efforts have found only two of the hundreds of vehicles that travel 16th Street violated either speed or noise laws," he (Chief
Deu Pree) concluded. One driver got a ticket for going 37 mph.
ALN Comment
Speeding:
APD
e-mails regarding the APD’s "efforts" documented numerous instances of speeds in the 30-35 MPH range that were not cited.
During a 110 minute period, one officer observed 24 vehicles traveling between 30 & 34 MPH and two traveling between 35-40
MPH. None of the drivers of these vehicles were cited. The APD stopped e-mailing ALN detailed information after the first
day when the officer reported the 26 instances of speeding in less than two hours.
Noise:
The
APD’s effort to enforce noise statute ORS 815.250 was doomed from the start. APD did not follow the proper methodology
required by ORS 815.250, and any APD reported results are meaningless. ORS 815.250 (2)(c) sets forth maximum noise levels
in decibels based on a stationary test conducted at 25 feet in accordance with procedures established by the Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ). Rather than follow the DEQ test procedures whereby the subject vehicle is stationary and the
noise level is measured with the vehicle in a neutral gear and the throttle is fully open,
the APD measured sound levels as vehicles drove by a police vehicle parked on the street. By not following the proper
methodology, ORS 815.250 could not be properly enforced.
Whether
the APD’s failure to follow the proper methodology required by ORS 815.250 was caused by lack of officer training or
other reasons is unclear.
Excerpt From The Daily Astorian - August
24, 2007
Police
Chief Deu Pree:
As for
writing tickets for exceeding the speed limit by one or two or even five miles per hour, as advocated by ALN members, Deu
Pree said it's a matter of balance. "What kind of city do you want?" he asked, noting that Clatskanie has a reputation for
issuing a lot of citations.
ALN Comment
The
comment that ALN advocates "writing tickets for exceeding the speed limit by one or two or even five miles per hour" is untrue
and an effort to make ALN appear unreasonable. ALN does not advocate a policy of "writing tickets for exceeding the speed
limit by one or two or even five miles per hour". ALN's position is that the current practice and policy of the APD that allows
vehicles to travel 35 MPH and faster before they will be cited is a dangerous policy on Astoria's 25 MPH residential streets.
It is even a worse policy on Astoria's hilly streets and blind intersections.
* Police
Chief Deu Pree retired in 2008.
