Use of Uniformed Police Officers on FederalAid Highway Construction Projects

1
Use of Uniformed Police Officers on Federal-Aid
Highway Construction Projects

• Executive Summary Presentation
• Prepared by Editors Ink
• Subcontractor to Henderson Assoc.
• June 8, 2000

2
Overview of Presentation

• Background
• Survey
• Policies
• Effectiveness
• Summary
• Recommendations

3
Background

• TEA-21 required DOT to
• conduct a study with States, State
  transportation departments, and law enforcement
  organizations, on the extent and effectiveness of
  use of uniformed police officers on Federal-aid
  highway construction projects.

4
Background

• Survey
• Federal Register Notice
• Federal Register Survey Questions
• General Comments encouraged
• AASHTO Survey
• Analysis of Policies Studies

5
Federal Register Respondentsby Category N 95
6
State Transportation Agency Respondents
Respondents
7
Law Enforcement Respondents
Respondents
8
Survey
9
Survey Respondentsby Category N 70
10
Survey Responses

• The total number of survey respondents was 70.
• Not all survey respondents answered all
  questions.
• Therefore the number of respondents (N) is
  DIFFERENT for EACH QUESTION.

11
Size of Law EnforcementAgency

• Only 25 Responses
• Average 1,123
• Range 132 - 6,644
• Median 3,388

12
Size of Jurisdiction

• All gt 100,000
• population

13
Policies
14
Does Agency Have Policy?N 61
15
Does Agency Have Policy?

• Written policies generally provide for hiring
  off-duty police officers to work construction
  zones, although a few States use only on-duty
  officers
• Funding from DOT, usually
• Some yes responders said they had unwritten
  policies

16
What is the Source of Funding for UPO Program? N
68
17
Extent of Use of UPOs

• Survey Data
• Analysis of Policies Submitted

18
Circumstances Where UPOsMost Often Used

• Nighttime operations
• Lane or road closures
• High speed/ Hi volume traffic

19
Only a Few Agencies Use UPOs in All Projects

• Arizona (unwritten policy)
• Rhode Island
• City of Boston

20
How is Number of Officers Determined?

• Responses vary widely
• Job site factors
• location
• traffic volume/speed
• nighttime operations
• complaints, problems, or special operations
• Available funding
• Procedural factors
• Manpower factors

21
Off-duty Only, or On-Duty As Well? N 57
22
Use of Off-Duty vs On-Duty UPOs (Based on Survey
Data Policies Submitted)
Off Duty
On Duty
23
92 of Respondents said UPOs used Marked Vehicles
at Construction Projects
Yes 92
No 4
Varies 4
No response
24
Officer Positioning Gear

• 11 of survey respondents said they require
  officers to be outside vehicle
• 33 require high-visibility clothing

25
24 of Survey Respondents said their State
Conducts a UPO Training Program
26
Whos In Charge?

• Who Developed the Policy?
• Who Determines the Number of Officers?
• Are UPOs included in the Planning Process?

27
Who Developed the Policy?N 30
28
Who Determines Number of Officers? N 63
29
Joint Effort Between Which Parties? N 26
30
Are UPOs Included in Planning Process? N 60
31
Effectiveness of Policies

• Survey Data--Mostly Opinion, but Indicates
  Positive Effects
• Hard Real World Data is Scarce
• Academic Research also Scarce, but Generally
  Positive

32
Effects of Policies Academic Studies

• Generally Positive Results
• Document that UPO Presence Reduces Speed as much
  as or more than other traffic control methods
• Some guidelines available

33
Effects of Policies Academic Studies

• Transafety Paper, Noel, et al, 1987
• Compared
• 1. MUTCD flagging procedure
• 2. MUTCD flagging procedure w/ addl flagger
  hand motions
• 3. marked police car w/ lights radar
• 4. UPOs standing to control traffic

34
Effects of Policies Academic Studies

• Noel et al found
• The law enforcement methods demonstrated a
  stronger speed reduction capability particularly
  when lane closures result in two or more lanes
  open.

35
Effects of Policies Academic Studies

• Transportation Research Board, Richards, et al,
  1985
• Findings
• Flagging law enforcement were best methods.
• Best flagging methods reduced speeds an average
  of 19
• Best Law enforcement methods reduced speeds by an
  average of 18.

36
Has Your Agency Conducted Studies on use of UPOs
in Work Zones?N 58
37
Studies by States

• A few states track of citations, of
  collisions, injuries, etc. Generally do not
  provide conclusive data on effectiveness
• Some law enforcement agencies provided info on
  budget, of officers assigned, etc.

38
General Respondents by Category N - 25
39
General Comments Received

• General comments were overwhelmingly supportive
• AASHTO 1997 Policy Resolution supports use of
  Federal-aid funds for UPOs in work zones
• 2 of 10 highway industry associations had
  methodology suggestions
• AHAS encourages gathering more hard data
• IIHS recommends study of automated enforcement
  as supplement to UPOs

40
Summary Findings

• Report documents widespread use, and support for,
  the use of UPOs in work zones. (extent)
• Little hard data available on actual effects of
  policies.
• Survey data show State policies and procedures
  vary widely.

41
Issues Summary

• Policies vary Re
• Circumstances Where UPOs are Required
• Number of Officers Required
• Training, Procedures, Supervision
• Conflicting Missions (Traffic Control vs. Speed
  Enforcement)

42
States Served By FHWA Mobile Asphalt Laboratory
1993-2000
Asphalt Trailer Visited
43
Issues Summary

• Funding and Personnel Availability
• Payment of Officers
• Rates (overtime vs straight pay)
• Benefits Retirement

44
Recommendations Agencies should consider...

• Developing written guidelines to address
• situations where UPOs recommended
• work zone traffic control planning process
• officer pay/benefits, work procedures, etc.
• Training UPOs in proper MUTCD work zone signage
  and flagging procedures.

45
Recommendations Agencies should consider...

• Gathering better data on traffic safety incidents
  at Federally funded highway work zones in order
  to assess effectiveness of work zone traffic
  control techniques.
• Using new technologies, such as automated
  enforcement and intrusion alarms, as well as UPOs.