Police officers ride on buses in effort to nab bad motorists

Throughout the past week students boarding their school buses have had a guest riding with them -- a Cape Girardeau police officer.

The police are riding the buses randomly to watch for motorists not stopping when the buses flash their red stop lights and extend their stop arms.

In July the Missouri Legislature approved a measure that strengthens the penalty for violating a school bus stop sign. The new law went into effect Aug. 28, said Jerry Wolsey, director of First Student, the company that provides transportation for the Cape Girardeau School District.

The first violation can result in a driver losing his license for 90 days; for a second offense, the license can be pulled for 120 days.

"It's up to the discretion of the court," Wolsey said.

The original bill provided no specific punishment, but left it up to the court to levy a fine of $5 to $500, a year in jail, or both fine and jail. Now those fines can still be levied, along with pulling the offender's driver's license.

Police spokesman officer Jason Selzer said that most violations are cited under less-severe city codes. If an incident resulted in someone being injured, he said, then city police would write a ticket under the state code carrying the new penalty.

So far this year, Selzer said, officers have written eight citations. Last year, police cited three motorists for school bus violations. Selzer said police have received more than eight complaints from the community, but did not have enough information to track down any more than the eight they issued tickets to.

"What we want to do," said Wolsey, "is educate the public that when our buses are loading and unloading on public streets, highways and county roads, when the arm comes out and the lights are activated they are to stop."

Wolsey said officers are riding the buses that were shown to have had the most reports of violations.

"A lot of people don't know the law has been stiffened," Wolsey said.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160