SAFE PASSAGE INITIATIVE CREATING SAFER STREETS IN MIDLAND
Midland Police reports enforcement is up, crashes are down
Traffic is a concern for all of us.
The Midland Police Department and the City of Midland have kicked off the Safe Passage Initiative, and its implementation is already making our streets safer.
The Safe Passage Initiative will be supported by campaigns designed to be responsive to the needs of the community and include:
- Targeted locations/targeted violations,
- Allocated resources for successful completion,
- Statistical data collection to evaluate the campaign’s effectiveness and help develop future initiatives.
One part of the Safe Passage Initiative is “operation intersection intervention,” which focuses on Midland’s most dangerous intersections. They include Midkiff and Wadley, Andrews Highway and Midland Drive, Midland Drive and Wadley, Midkiff and Wall, Andrews Highway and Loop 250, Andrews Highway and Midkiff, Garfield and Wadley, Longview and Belmont, Andrews Highway and Illinois, and Midland Drive and Loop 250.
The intervention starts with a highly-visible Police present and increased violator contact (coupled with officer explanation). Operations started June 17, and the results through Sept. 15 include:
- 1,956 traffic stops conducted,
- 1,261 citations issued,
- 48 arrests made.
Midland Police also reported that there has been a “noticeable decrease” in traffic collisions coinciding with the implementation of Operation Intersection Intervention. The number of crashes in July (181) was the fewest for any month going back to January 2021 (180). In August, the 235 crashes reported were the lowest for that month – also going back to 2021.
“Midland is a great city, a thriving community, a family,” Midland Police Department Interim Chief Greg Snow said. “The Midland Police Department is committed to helping your family get home safely. Let’s watch out for each other. Drive considerately.”
Midland Police also report that the high-visibility traffic enforcement aids in the suppression of other crimes.
There are many great things going on with Midland Police Department right now. MPD is working cross-functionally with Code Enforcement and the City of Midland’s Legal Department to cut red tape and continues to work directly with other local, state and federal agencies.
There are also partnerships – or “force multipliers” – with community members. We hope residents will look into the Citizens on Patrol (COPS) Program, the Citizens Police Academy, the Youth Summer Camp with Midland Police Department and the soon-to-be-initiated PALS Program.
Lastly, National Night Out will take place on Oct. 1, 2024, across the community. Take part in a block party that will bring neighbors together and help keep Midland a safe city.
What City Council members said about the Safe Passage Initiative
Midland Mayor Lori Blong
Our Midland City Council and I place a strong priority on making Midland the safe and secure city we all want for our families and for our community. The Safe Passage Initiative has been an effective collaboration between our police department, code enforcement, traffic division, and several other key teams at the City of Midland. In the relatively short time that The Safe Passage Initiative has been in place, we are already seeing our accident counts and other crime and traffic incident statistics decline.
Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our city teams, we believe these improved statistics will continue to improve, which will ultimately contribute to making Midland a safe and secure city, holding ourselves to a higher accountability today and into the future.
At-large Councilwoman Robin Poole
The MPD’s Safe Passage Initiative is a very tangible compliment to the larger Vision Zero Action Plan. The City of Midland is committed to safer roads and is taking diligent steps to eliminate fatalities. I applaud the efforts of Interim Chief Snow to create safer streets to drive on, and my hope is that with increased enforcement and awareness, drivers will take the time to pay attention, slow down and ultimately be considerate of where they are and who they share the road with.
At-large Councilman Eric Davidson
As part of our Vision Zero Action Plan, our Midland Police Department, Code Enforcement and Traffic Division, have focused on making our streets and town safer through the Safe Passage Initiative. Our laser focus on the most dangerous intersections led to record traffic enforcement levels, and has resulted in a noticeable decrease in traffic collisions and overall crime in our community. We care deeply about the wellbeing of this community, and as we continue to execute on our Safe Passage Initiative we will see further increases in our road safety.
Thanks again to our Chief, Police Officers, City Staff and all those involved in rolling out our Safe Passage Initiatives and showing how we continue to hold ourselves to the highest standards.