GRANT BEEFS UP PATROLS

Drivers who speed or don't wear seat belts, and motorcyclists who leave their helmets at home have a better chance of getting caught on Thursday and Friday afternoons in Cape Girardeau.

On those afternoons, at least one additional Cape Girardeau police officer is patrolling the streets looking specifically for people who are breaking those laws.

Early this month, the Cape Girardeau Police Department was one of 75 law enforcement agencies throughout the state to receive a grant for overtime pay for an additional officer to enforce state seat belt laws and area speed limits.

The Missouri Division of Highway Safety awarded $140,000 to municipalities throughout the state in hopes of boosting compliance with seat belt laws.

"We asked the cities to identify high-traffic and high-accident times during the week," said Bill Whitfield, a safety specialist with the Missouri Division of Highway Safety. "Then we took applications for overtime pay for the enforcement of speed, helmet and seat belt laws during those times."

Whitfield said grants were doled out in the amounts of $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000, depending on the size of the city and the number of days which would require additional patrols.

Cape Girardeau received a $2,000 grant in May; patrols began early this month.

Sgt. Carl Kinnison of the Cape Girardeau Police Department said several officers in the department have volunteered for the extra patrol.

"Anyone who wants to do it has to go through a special two-hour training session on occupant protection, usage and enforcement," Kinnison said. "We'll be keeping track of the number of tickets issued by the officers and report those numbers to the state."

A year ago, Cape Girardeau police officers were issued tickets which allow them to check a box for a seat belt violation when writing a citation, rather than writing an additional ticket for the seat belt.

According to the year-end crime statistics report published by the Cape Girardeau police, last year officers cited 474 motorists for not wearing seat belts. That was more than 100 fewer than were cited the year before.

"People are starting to wear their seat belts," Kinnison said. "Not everybody, but more than when the laws were first passed."

In January, the city of Cape Girardeau was added to the national "70 Percent Plus Honor Roll" in recognition of high seat-belt usage.

Kinnison hopes to boost the current 72 percent compliance rate to 80 percent.

Whitfield said this is the only time grant money will be available for this purpose, and he hopes to see some positive results by the end of the summer.

"Statewide, we are at 70 percent compliance with seat belt laws," Whitfield said. "Ideally, we would like to have 100 percent usage throughout the state."

Aside from seat belt safety, the Missouri Division of Highway Safety works to promote the use of designated drivers, abstinence from drinking and driving, and proper child restraints in motor vehicles. When requested, representatives of the division also visit companies to discuss highway safety with workers.

"If it has to do with safety on the road, we have some kind of program that will fit the bill," Whitfield said.