Why were three troopers of the Illinois State Police working in Woodstock this afternoon?
Two of them were stopped with a single vehicle on Route 47 across from McDonald's, and four unhappy campers were sitting on the curb. A few minutes later they were in the back seats of the two squad cars, and my guess is their car was getting ready to be towed.
A third ISP squad car had a driver stopped on Lake Avenue across from Days Inn, just west of Route 47.
Is there a particular reason that three ISP cars were writing tickets in Woodstock today, rather than out patrolling the highways of McHenry County?
Did Woodstock P.D. invite them? Did Woodstock P.D. even know they were in town? Do Woodstock residents want ISP troopers coming into town and increasing the number of tickets written here? We're still a small town here, but we have City Limits and we, the People, can make the rules.
Is the traffic violations problem so bad here that Woodstock P.D. can't handle it?
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11 comments:
AFAIK Woodstock is still in Illinois and the ISP does not require permission to come here. What makes you think they shouldn't be in CITY LIMITS? Just like the deputies have jurisdiction anywhere in the County, troopers have jurisdiction anywhere in the state.
ISP has the SET unit Special Enforcement Team better know as the WOLF PACK. Typically three to five troopers. The Wolf Pack moves around to different areas and targets certain areas for strict enforcement.
Quite honestly you surprise me. Usually you complain there isn't ENOUGH enforcement.
I'm certainly aware of the state-wide authority of the Illinois State Police, and I've ridden with a SET on I-90. On that day they had air support, and five troopers stayed busy writing tickets for 88-93MPH in a 55MPH zone.
My point is this. While they are working in Woodstock, the violators on Route 47 and 176 and 23 and 120 are home free.
I think I would be more interested in who they had pulled over.
angie, good question. And the answer won't be easily found.
The Northwest Herald reports a few of the traffic tickets issued by Woodstock PD and by County deputies; none written by I.S.P.
A FOIA request for all I.S.P. ticket number issued in Woodstock for yesterday's date might be a good starting point. Then search the Circuit Clerk's online records for Ticket Numbers, and there will be your answer. Go for it.
What does it matter.The ISP performs a function just like the local police. As long as people violate the law, what difference if it is city county or state?
My neighbors son is a Trooper on the Tollway. We have talked many times. He said they don't even stop people until they are speeding 80MPH or driving aggressively. During rush hour they only target aggressive drivers because it is too dangerous to be parked writing tickets when cars are driving by at 70 MPH. It also causes gappers blocks.
If you rode with them why don't you understand their function? The Wolf Pack has been around for many years and hits all the towns. Sometimes they work a mile long section of road or maybe a few intersections. Most people know that the ISP doesn't handle criminal type calls for service such as fights domestics and burglaries, they are traffic enforcement. It only make sense that they come to all towns and put the fear into people making them drive slower or whatever the local problem is. As I recall they usually know ahead of time where the local problems are and dirfect enforcement toward that problem.
Mr. Green, and right there is the problem. The speed limit is 55MPH, and they don't even stop a driver until he's going 80. That's 25MPH over the speed limit.
This is why Illinois needs Photo Radar.
Rolling blockades would work, too, but they are very unpopular.
So is the trooper who drives 55MPH in the center lane at 55MPH and holds everybody up. But it works.
It's too bad that his bosses don't have the backbone to enforce the speed limit as posted!
AZ dumped photo radar because of too many problems. There were some Constitutional issues.People had a huge petition campaign against it and they are NO MORE. Chalk one up for citizens. Speed limits here here are 55 around interchanges,65 on most greater Phoenix highways and 75 out of more populated areas. Illinois is in the dark ages and needs to increase the speed limit. It all about $MONEY$.
I disagree that speed limits and S/L enforcement are all about $$$. I would agree that in some (many?) places in Illinois the speed limit is unnecessarily low.
I'm generally in favor of appropriate speed limits, but I feel strongly that they should be obeyed. Drivers here - and in most places - ignore speed limits. By wilfully disregarding them, they endanger others.
75MPH on open, rural, limited-access highways in the west and other places seems to work. But then there are those who feel 10-15 "over" is okay.
Last week we were coming East on the 10 heading home to the Phoenix area. I was on cruise conrol at 75mph (the posted limit). This low rider black Escalade blew by me probably doing 90 plus. About 20 minutes later we caught up with him. He was on the side with a DPS Highway Patrol getting a ticket. That was funny.....
DPS out here are very efficient. The DPS motorcycle cops hide behind construction signs and you never see them until you pass by. I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket from Maricopa County but you see DPS all the time handing them out all the time.
tired, thanks for making my heart smile this afternoon!
When I was doing my Deputy Dawg thing in Colorado, my best days were on my Harley. Sure made a lot of traffic stops and provided a lot of education. Occasionally, a driver would talk me into a ticket, and I could always oblige him (or her).
But if polite roadside counseling was enough, I didn't feel the need to cite an errant driver.
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