Police up patrols, remind drivers to slow down, follow the law during first week of school

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Expect to see more law enforcement at some schools in southern Arizona.

Police are ramping up patrols at the Marana Unified School District as students get ready to complete their first week.

Marana police say they’re watching for drivers who are violating traffic laws that could cause a crash near the school.

“One of our goals here on top of enforcement is education and visibility. Us being here, reminding parents and students of the speed limits regarding school zones is paramount to ensuring everyone gets to school safely,” said Officer Brian Neuman of the Marana Police Department.

During the first two weeks of school last year, officers made 155 traffic stops and gave 15 citations.

On just Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 8 and 9, MPD said officers have already stopped more than 52 drivers.

“Where we have problem areas, we’ll typically put a lot of traffic units in the same area to address specific problems,” Neuman said.

A reminder as you head to drop your student off at school, the speed limit in school zones is 15 mph once you reach the first speed zone sign. You have to maintain that speed until you see the last school zone sign. You must stop at crosswalks when someone is trying to get through.

“When you drop students off, do not drop them off across the street from the school and have them cross the street,” Neuman said. “It’s very dangerous and in often cases it’s actually illegal. Please ensure you’re using the parent or student drop-off zones.”

While these increased patrols won’t last all school year, officers say they will be doing regular patrols all year long.

Copyright 2022 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved.