Mission (Mission RCMP– When officers with Mission RCMP’s Traffic Services start their shift, they often have a plan for strategic enforcement for the day. They might focus on things like impaired drivers, school and playground zones, or speed enforcement. But how do they choose where to focus their efforts? One tool that can help is a piece of equipment called the Black Cat.
The Black Cat is a next-generation radar recorder designed for accurate traffic data collection without the need for sensors in the road. It is setup near the side of the road, and is left for a period of time to gather data from passing vehicles. It detects lane position, can record two lanes in the same direction, and collects data on the number of vehicles travelling past the Black Cat and the speeds of each vehicle. The City of Mission and Mission RCMP Traffic Services can then analyze the data and determine if speeding is an issue along that particular stretch of road. If speeding is confirmed to be a problem, a decision can be made on the best ways to curtail the behaviour. One option is to have officers target the area to conduct speed enforcement, but other options are also available, including: having volunteers from the Mission Crime Prevention Office conduct Speed Watch in the area (setting up the radar board to show drivers their speeds), setting up Constable Scarecrow (the life-size cutout of a police officer), or even considering traffic calming features such as lights, stop signs, speed bumps or traffic circles.
Obviously police cannot be everywhere all the time, and the Black Cat is a great tool to help allocate resources to specific problem areas. However, we’re also always looking for suggestions on new places to put the Black Cat, to gather additional traffic data. If you know of a stretch of roadway where speeding is a significant issue, give us a call (604-826-7161) and let us know where you would like to see the Black Cat setup next!
