Sheriff's Department writes fewer tickets
Down almost 9% in one year; crashes up

Oct. 3, 2005- The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department issued almost 9% fewer traffic citations and investigated almost 12% fewer accidents last year than in 2003, according to county budget documents.

The department wrote 27,000 traffic citations last year, down from 29,598 in 2003.

Not so coincidentally, the number of reportable accidents on county, state, and interstate highways in the county -- the roads patrolled by the Sheriff's Department -- rose from 6,335 in 2003 to 6,723 last year, according to the State Department of Transportation

Residents living along North-South I-94 said at a meeting last week they have noticed increased speed along the freeway, and said there was not enough lack of traffic enforcement.

The department also investigated 613 fewer accidents last year than the year before. The number of accident investigations dropped from 5,241 in 2003 to 4,628 last year, a drop of 11.7%, despite the increase in reportable accidents.

For next year, County Executive Scott Walker is budgeting more citations per mile driven by sheriff's deputies.He also is counting on gasoline prices averaging $2.22 per gallon for unleaded, up 27 cents, or 13.7%, from the $1.95 per gallon price budgeted for this year.

Walker's 2006 budget calls for the Sheriff's Department to write 30,000 citations next year while putting on 2,083,000 highway patrol miles, the equivalent of one citation for ever 69.4 patrol miles.

Walker also budgeted for 30,000 citations in 2005, but allowed for 2,350,000 highway patrol miles. That is one citation for every 78.3 patrol miles.