Airdrie City Council voted unanimously in favour to extend their partnership with the RCMPís Enhanced Traffic Safety Program (ETSP) for another four years.
The program was established in 2010 as a traffic enforcement initiative to increase levels of safety on Airdrie roads. The ETSP does not affect current RCMP operations as it is run strictly on an overtime basis.
The ETSP is self-sustaining revenue program that is generated by tickets issued which covers the cost of overtime hours for the RCMP officers.
From the programís inception in August 2010, through September 2013, the program cost $186,000 in overtime man hours. In that time, the RCMP generated $525,000 in revenue through tickets issued, for a net gain of $339,000.
Airdrie RCMP Staff Sgt. Gordon Sage presented the numbers to council on Nov. 18, explaining that while the revenue generated was a bonus, it is not the purpose of the program.
ìIt is important for us to have a self-sustaining program like this, but itís about keeping the streets of Airdrie safer, not an income generator,î said Sage. ìIt allows us to be proactive and target trouble areas and respond as priority dictates.î
Some of the specific areas that the program targets are, impaired drivers, seatbelt violations, distracted driving such as cell phone use while driving and reckless driving.
ìWe are generally targeting things that put the people of our community at risk,î said Sage.
Council voted unanimously in favour of keeping the program in place throughout the course of this councilís term. Mayor Peter Brown spoke favourably of the program and its value to Airdrie.
ìTraffic safety is a key issue in our community,î said Brown. ìThis program sends a message to our citizens that, yes, we are doing a job to look out for the safety of our residents.î
