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Over 100 tickets issued in
aggressive two-day police blitz

After an hour or more in line at the border, visitors to the Point this past Victoria Day weekend were greeted by an unusual sight – a police car. If they weren’t wearing a seatbelt they got another surprise – a $101 ticket.

From May 22 to May 24 the Point’s usual complement of two or fewer Whatcom County sheriff’s deputies swelled to five – with four patrol cars and one motorcycle deputy cracking down on traffic violations.

“We had extra people on traffic control in a number of places in the county and Point Roberts was one of them,” said Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) chief criminal deputy Jeff Parks, adding his department had been granted additional state funds to pay for traffic safety emphasis like this one.

While the sheriff’s office is still tallying the tickets Parks said deputies handed out over 100 tickets. “It’s the big three we’re looking at: aggressive driving, speeding and driving under the influence,” Parks said. “Also we’re emphasizing seatbelts.” In one case a motorist pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt was arrested for possession of marijuana.
Parks said they had picked Point Roberts because local deputies had passed on information that roads in Point Roberts were getting busier with summer approaching and the Canadian dollar being strong.

“People can get lulled into a sense we’re out of sight, out of mind up there but we care about traffic safety in Point Roberts,” he said, adding that the Point was targeted less frequently for extra traffic resources than many other areas in the county because of a very low accident rate here.
While the Point shouldn’t expect a handful of extra patrol cars every weekend, Parks said there were plans to have other traffic emphasis periods in Point Roberts. “We’ll be back,” he said.

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