Traffic...ick.

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The past week I've been working in the traffic division. It isn't the most exciting area on the department. I pretty much write speeding tickets all day unless there is a car crash somewhere. Then we go handle the accident scene and do all the paper work for it. We also do DUI's. I've arrested 3 people for DUI so far.

That I don't mind. If you're dumb enough to drive DUI then I'm going to bust you! Thankfully the people I've arrested for it haven't been in a crash where they've killed somebody. So far they've just been running into trees and side rails etc.

I'm definitely not going to hold out for a traffic position when my FTO phase is over with. Way to boring with a ton of down time. Plus all the paper work on traffic is the only stuff left that is still done by hand. I'd rather use the computer and write up reports for other stuff besides speeding.

I refuse to be the cop that plays the guessing game with people though. "Excuse me mam, but do you have any idea how fast you were going?" "Do you know the speed limit on this street?" etc. I just cut to the chase and get it over with. Most of the time they know they were speeding anyway and are just blowing smoke at me anyway.

"Mam, Officer Yates with Ogden Police. I've pulled you over for your speed. You were going 55 in a 35 mph zone. I just need your....etc"

I'd say the thing that is the hardest so far is remembering what paper work to fill out and when for which thing that has happened. Since it isn't computerized its hard to keep track of everything and which box to check, opposed to shade in, opposed to leave blank for situation A but fill it for situation B.

This week is my last 4 days of traffic and then I'll move on to the next phase. It'll be back to regular patrol but the grave yard shift. 9 pm to 7 am. I'll be getting off of work just in time to drive back home in the middle of rush hour traffic. At least if I fall asleep at the wheel it won't be a high speed crash. It'll just be bumper to bumper and I'll wake up to roll a few feet forward.

Hopefully Aleca will be done with school here in the next few weeks and we'll be able to move back up closer to Ogden at the end of December or early Jan sometime.

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