TICKET WRITING ON INCREASE IN CAPE

Got a speeding ticket lately?

A lot more Cape Girardeau drivers have.

Since the Cape Girardeau Police Department added two traffic officers to its four-man unit a year ago, traffic citations have increased dramatically.

From July 21, 1997, to July 20, 1998, there were 4,570 tickets issued. From July 21, 1998, to July 20, 1999, the number of citations rose to 9,473.

The credit goes to the two officers, said Sgt. Buddy Davis, who is in charge of the traffic division.

"We have two officers whose whole job is selective traffic enforcement," Davis said.

The two officers, Don Hellwege and Dale Newman, do nothing but watch for violations in high-accident or complaint areas. The other four members of the division perform accident investigations and escort services for funerals along with traffic enforcement.

"If I can get the public to perceive I have a lot of officers out there, we're going to see fewer accidents," Davis said.

Crashes have diminished since Hellwege and Newman changed duties but not to the same degree as traffic tickets. Police reported 3 percent fewer accidents over the past 12 months.

The number would be higher if it weren't for ice-related wrecks, said Davis. Police responded to 77 ice-related accidents over the past 12 months compared to three the 12 months prior.

Mayor Al Spradling III said he is satisfied with the improvement.

"If we have so many fewer accidents than a year ago, that's still significant," he said.

However, the overall cost of accidents as measured by insurance companies has increased. The Insurance Information Institute says each fatality costs $920,000, an injury accident costs $34,200 and an accident with property damage costs $6,600. Between July 1997 and July 1998, there was a $25.1 million loss based on those figures, Davis said. Over the following year, the loss measured $25.3 million.

Most of the tickets issued by Hellwege are fines for $121 to $171 for speeding, he said.

The money from fines, which goes into the city's general revenue fund, has not been a topic of discussion for the City Council, Spradling said.

"It's not really an issue," the mayor said. "The city has a set budget, and we do our work based on that."

Councilman J.J. Williamson suggested that the extra money could be used for police diversity training or equipment repairs.

Hellwege, who has been with the police department 27 years, said he hopes his work makes Cape Girardeau safer. "I put in for this to try to make a difference in the reduction of accidents," he said. "And I've got family here."

As Hellwege drove north on Sprigg Street this week, his radar, a Doppler system, flashed the changing speeds of oncoming cars. Near the university's intramural fields, he caught a Dodge Caravan going 51 mph.

That's a $171 fine.

The driver, a man from St. Louis, explained that he didn't notice his speed coming down the hill, Hellwege said, but he was polite.

Only 1 percent of people stopped for speeding act belligerent, Hellwege said. "Most just ask if I'm sure it was them," he said.

Police test the accuracy of their radar after each traffic stop. Hellwege has two tuning forks, which are tested each month by the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colo. Each emits a high pitch that the radar should pick up. If the radar gives an incorrect reading, it goes in for fine tuning, Hellwege said.

Since he started selective traffic duty, Hellwege has been surprised at the number of people who have no idea of speed limits on various streets.

Like most police, Hellwege usually gives drivers about 10 miles above the speed limit before he stops them.

One driver apparently would like more. A sign board in front of his business on the corner of Perry Avenue and New Madrid Street reads: "Slow down. Police radar ahead. 30 mph down hill?"

"I remember him," Hellwege said. "I gave him two tickets, and the last one was for doing 45 in a 30 zone."

The driver, Dr. Scott B. Smith, whose chiropractic office is at 920 Perry Avenue, said: "I decided to use my marquee to vent my frustration on getting a second speeding ticket for my heavy foot. I also wanted to provide a public service and a warning to others."

Smith believes it is difficult to drive the speed limit on that stretch of road. "You have to ride the brake going down the hill to keep it at 30 mph," he said.

Southeast Missourian photographer Fred Lynch contributed to this report.