BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — There will be more police cars around the city of Battle Creek this week as the police department works to address traffic concerns.
FOX 17 rode along with Office Emily Leach Tuesday to get a better idea of what these officers are looking for and hoping to prevent.
"The police department has been fielding lots of calls, ranging from people driving while on their phone, people driving aggressively, speeding," Officer Leach explained.
The Battle Creek Police Department gets around three to five "be on the lookout" alerts each day— these range from people speeding and driving recklessly to drivers being on their phones.
Officer Leach says Riverside Street is a hot spot for this activity, adding, "I've watched people just fly through there. So, unless you live in an area like this, people don't really pay attention to their speed."
Most of the complaints happen near the schools, where crossing guards often report drivers speeding and even blowing through stop signs.
Officer Leach says the police department will also boost its patrols around the schools— one of their main priorities.
In total, they're adding ten to 13 more officers on patrol throughout the city.
"We've got Halloween coming up next week, right? Our concern for the safety of the kids is more my priority than writing a ticket," she said.
Things like speeding and having expired tabs often lead to a ticket, but Officer Leach says that's not always her style— something she demonstrated as FOX 17 rode along with her.
"This is one of the times where I'm not going to give a ticket. She had stated that she was struggling— mom has cancer, she's struggling to have funds to get her registration plate renewed," Officer Leach explained.
So, instead of writing a ticket, Officer Leach gave the driver a number to call for assistance.
"If you deserve a ticket, you get a ticket. But, other than that, I like to stop, educate the person on why I'm stopping [them] and go from there," she added.
The police department's overall goal this week is to make the roads safer for everyone, while also building a stronger bond with the community.
