Sunday, April 28, 2024
In some cities, speed traps are a guaranteed source of revenue. Not in Granbury.
In the vast majority of cases, traffic stops by Granbury police officers bring only a warning.
According to the city, in 2022 police officers made 7,755 traffic stops but issued just 923 citations. That means that 88% of drivers who were pulled over went on their way without their day being ruined. Only 12% of traffic stops resulted in tickets or arrests.
Police Chief Mitch Galvan said that the Granbury Police Department is focused on making streets safer by educating motorists. That often can be done by simply making them aware of a driving infraction. Other motorists who see the stop tend to pay closer attention to their own driving, the chief indicated.
“We tell our officers that educating and getting our community and the drivers to comply with the laws is our main goal,” Galvan said. “That’s the whole purpose of traffic enforcement, is to get them to comply with traffic laws.”
Galvan had a laugh over Richard Hoefs having “let the cat out of the bag” about the police department’s citation statistics at a recent City Council meeting. Hoefs, a member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and its Capital Improvements Advisory Committee, cited the numbers while praising the police department and city leaders.
Galvan said he has never been pressured by the city manager or the City Council to issue more traffic citations.
“It’s because I shared that philosophy with them long ago and told them that we’re accomplishing what we need to accomplish without having to run paper,” the chief stated.
He cited the city’s tourism industry as one of the reasons why speed traps are a bad idea for everybody.
“We’re a tourist town, and we invite people here and we want them to come back,” Galvan said. “And the quickest way to keep that from happening is if you’re issuing citations for every stinking thing that happens. Just imagine if those numbers were reversed, we would be known as one of those (revenue-focused) cities. It’s not the image we wanted to portray, not one that I wanted to portray anyway.”
Galvan said that officers are given full discretion on whether to issue a citation or let someone off with a warning. He said they are encouraged to write a ticket if circumstances such as road conditions, traffic, and the driver’s behavior warrant it.
“You know, warnings go a long way,” he said. “But, by all means, if a citation is warranted, don’t hesitate to write one.”
Galvan indicated a belief that the public knowing the citation statistics will not result in drivers fearlessly disregarding traffic laws. Officers routinely pull people over, he said, and passersby don’t know whether that person is being issued a ticket or not.
Galvan said that the city’s police officers “do an incredible job” and that he often receives emails from members of the public informing him of positive interactions.
“We really focus on that during the hiring process,” he said, referring to officers’ attitudes and personalities. “We take a long time to hire people because we’re going to hire the right people.”
