Traffic Enforcement Unit
History
In 2002, traffic related incidents across the El Paso Independent School District were on the rise. This was a result of many factors: a large growth in student population, increased traffic volume in dense urban areas and the building of many new campuses. In an effort to answer these growing traffic concerns, the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) was established. In April 2002, two officers were assigned Kawasaki 1000 Police motorcycles, which were purchased by the district.
Deployment
El Paso ISD Police Motor Officers are deployed directly into the Day School Program and have adjusted their hours to the need and traffic problems at various schools. Each officer is assigned to 1 of the 4 areas: East, West, Northeast and Central. The TEU is tasked with traffic safety for the entire El Paso Independent School District. El Paso ISD Motor Officers work directly with school staff in an effort to establish the safest, most efficient traffic environment around our schools.
Motor Officers investigate all district fleet vehicle and school bus related collisions and any collisions located on district property. El Paso ISD Motor Officers have a very close working relationship with the El Paso ISD-Risk Management saving the district thousands of dollars in motor vehicle collisions.
Motor Officers coordinate and conduct escorts for High School Homecoming parades and other school related functions such as Red Ribbon parades saving the district thousand of dollars in traffic control.
Training
El Paso ISD Motor Officers attended the 80-hour Police Motor School at the El Paso Police Department. Graduating officers receive additional hours of training in the Texas Vehicle Code Collision Investigation and Reconstruction. EPISD Motor Officers routinely train with the El Paso Police Department and the El Paso Sheriff's Department to maintain and improve riding skills in order to reduce the risks involved in riding motorcycles. Maintaining a high level confidence is crucial to avoiding many risks and creating a safe environment for the officers. To this date, the Motorcycle Unit is happy to report that it has had no collisions or traffic incidents with its fleet.
EPISD Motor Officers utilize the Three "E's" of traffic to promote a safe motoring community:
- Education
- Motor officers routinely conduct educational traffic related seminars at schools for students, parents and staff of the schools. In addition they work with outside law enforcement agencies on education and conducting school zone safety presentations to outside businesses.
- Although viewed by the motoring public as a penalty, traffic enforcement is an educational tool designed to improve awareness of traffic laws. The Traffic Enforcement Unit receives traffic complaints on a weekly basis from school staff and citizens and motor officers respond to those issues. The majority of those complaints occur at elementary school level and enforcement is more needed at this level, as school children this age are not capable of making good decisions when it comes to traffic issues. Motor officers have very close working relationship with the El Paso Police Department when it comes to safety of our children and enforcing the laws in our school zones.
- It is the responsibility of motor officers to conduct traffic surveys of schools and the immediate vicinity to create a safe, free flowing traffic area for vehicles and pedestrians. This is facilitated by working with the El Paso City Street Department-Traffic Engineering, Texas Highway Department and the El Paso ISD-Facilities and assisting school staff in structuring parking zones, bus zones, drop off zones and obtaining appropriate signs.
Enforcement
Engineering
Traffic Complaints
School staff, parents and concerned citizens call on a daily basis to report traffic violations, safety concerns, and aggressive driving behavior in and around school campuses. The El Paso Police Department also refers complaints from citizens to the EPISD Traffic Enforcement unit. Motor officer also respond to traffic complaints in other areas when the complaint involves school children on their way to and from school or school buses and fleet vehicles.
In traffic related incidents across the EPISD were on the rise. This was a result of many factors; a large growth in student population, increased traffic volume in dense urban areas and the building of several new campuses. In an effort to answer these growing traffic concerns, the Traffic Enforcement Unit (T.E.U.) was established. In April 2003, both officers were assigned a Kawasaki 1000 Police Motorcycle.
For questions related to traffic safety in your area or campus contact the EPISD-Police Department at (915) 887-6880.
- Motor Sergeant Zeke Garcia
915-887-8680
jegarcia@episd.org - Motor Officer in Charge-Officer Ricky Hoss
915-887-6891
rlhoss@episd.org - Motor Officer Edgar Garcia
915-887-6891
egarcia@episd.org
