Police Chief Dave Zibolski/Assistant City Administrator Brenda Derrig.
FARGO (KFGO) – Fargo city commissioners continue to look at options to deal with street racing. Those problems include loud or illegal mufflers, complaints from residents upset about the noise, and the drivers who flee as police work to stop the violators.
Assistant City Administrator Brenda Derrig and Police Chief Dave Zibolski presented several options to crack down on the issues at Monday night’s commission meeting.
They include changes to roads, signal timing, speed feedback signs, and adding more officers to re-establish a traffic safety unit. A top option is to work with the state legislature to pass tougher penalties.
City Commissioner John Strand said the city should look to technology to deal with the problem. “Determining accurately with a camera, they can determine violations by who is using the vehicle, who it is licensed to, and how we can hold violators accountable without losing their vehicle,” he said.
Chief Zibolski calls it an “excellent idea.” He said technology is there to do that. “It can capture driver plates, front and back, or take a picture of the driver.”
But Zibolski said the state is forbidden to use that technology and enforcement and that would have to be a legislative change.
An attempt to make such changes failed in the last legislative session.
Zibolski said traffic citations are up this year, but he doesn’t believe it’s affecting the behaviors of dangerous driving.
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