Shawano police have wrapped up their 2015 Click it or Ticket program with what police said are impressive results.
The department received a $20,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to educate and enforce occupant safety laws between March and September.
The grant paid for officers’ salaries to work during peak traffic patterns and in areas where a higher-than-normal amount of traffic crashes have occurred in the city.
“Our officers are serious about safety belt enforcement,” Lt. Mike Musolff said. “We see far too many drivers and passengers needlessly killed or injured in Wisconsin because they were unbuckled in a crash.”
Officers worked more than 300 hours from May through September. During that time period, officers wrote 510 traffic citations and issued 300 written warnings.
Most of the traffic citations were for failure to fasten seat belts. Officers also issued citations for operating after suspension or revocation and child safety restraint violations, and several operators were wanted for various offenses.
“We believe we made a positive impact on traffic and pedestrian safety over the summer months,” Police Chief Mark Kohl said. “City officers were out being visible and making a positive impact on the safety of our neighbors and visitors to the area. We hope to receive another traffic safety grant for 2016.”