PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – It's a scene that's becoming all too common in Pembroke Pines. Serious and sometimes deadly crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians are on the rise, police said.
"We're trying to save lives," Sgt. Chris Sengelmann said. "Bicyclists and pedestrians are the focus."
The Pembroke Pines Police Department received a grant from the government, allowing the department to pay officers overtime so they can crack down on drivers who are breaking the law.
"We want people to know that we're out here and what we are doing," he added.
The program, High Visibility Enforcement of Pedestrian Safety Initiative, was launched in February. Since then, officers have issued more than 1,000 citations for traffic violations.
"Even if you have a green light, you have to yield to pedestrians," Sengelmann said. "Another violation is when drivers don't come to a complete stop at a red light before making a right-hand turn. You have to treat a red light like a stop sign."
Three days per week, officers work the busiest intersections during rush hour. Two officers pose as pedestrians, wearing plain street clothes. As soon as they see a traffic violation, they alert another officer who makes the stop.
Since 2012, there have been 1,093 crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians, police said. About 300 have resulted in injuries, including four fatalities.
"We're trying to eliminate a family from having to go through something like that," Sengelmann said.
One of the busiest intersections is Pines Boulevard and University Drive.
"You have to have your head on a swivel," Officer Charlie Herring, who participates in the program, said. "It's dangerous out there and we want to make sure everyone is safe."
Drivers who spoke with Local 10 News had mixed reviews about the traffic stops.
"I didn't come to a complete stop," Pembroke Pines resident Gerald Artune said. "I did break the law and that's their job, so I don't really have a problem with them."
For more information, visit the Pembroke Pines Police Department's Facebook and Twitter pages.
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