HARRISON TWP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Harrison Township residents say drivers are racing through their streets. The Macomb County Sheriff's Office has responded by adding a dedicated traffic deputy to patrol the community.
Speeding has long been a concern for residents of Harrison Township, and the Macomb County Sheriff's Office is now taking a targeted approach to address it — assigning a dedicated traffic deputy to the community.
Watch Evan Sery's report below
Sabrina has lived on Townhall Street in Harrison Township for over 30 years. She says the problem has grown worse over time.
"There used to be a mini substation, police station there so other so high schoolers and other people would mind their p's and q's."
She says the absence of that substation changed things.
"Since that went away, the high school people come up and down this street like crazy...there's just so many cars flying through here."
Commander Jason Abro of the Macomb County Sheriff's Office says her frustration is widely shared.
"Throughout Harrison Township, we get a lot of complaints regarding speeding, residential issues, or traffic delays, parents trying to drop their kids off at schools."
Abro said the department recently added a new vehicle to its fleet specifically to address those concerns.
"What this vehicle is gonna do for us is handle those matters; it's gonna be taken to schools where there's a traffic need or where residents are complaining of speeding."
The effort is a partnership between the township and the Sheriff's Office. Harrison Township Supervisor Kenneth Verkest said a dedicated traffic deputy was needed to stay ahead of the problem.
"Because left unchecked people, people take advantage, and maybe speed," Verkest said.
Verkest also said the arrangement benefits the broader department.
"And it takes some of the pressure off the other deputies, so that they can take care of whatever that day-to-day need is for law enforcement," he continued.
Deputy Christopher Czaiczynski is the township's dedicated traffic deputy. He said education is central to his daily work.
"On a day-to-day basis, I stop about 6 to 15 cars, just to educate them on the violations of the law when it comes to speeding," Czaicynski said.
Czaiczynski said the geography of the township makes the issue especially dangerous.
"Speeding is a big problem; there's a lot of curves, which can cause a lot of accidents when people are speeding," Czaicynski said.
Abro said the department's focus is on safety, not citations.
"Our goal is not to write tickets to where we're finding people. When someone goes to work, they deserve to go to work safely and come home safely," Abro said.
Back on Townhall Street, at least one neighbor said the new approach is welcome.
"I think it's a good idea, too many people flying up and down the street," Sabrina said.
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