HOV Violators and State Police Enforcement

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   In response to the complaint I sent in last week. I received this email from the VA State Police Business Manager- 

	*****************************************************************

	Lieutenant Colonel E.A. Stockton, Director of the Bureau of Field Operations for the Virginia State Police has asked me to thank you for and respond to e-mail of June 3, 2011, concerning HOV violators and enforcement. 

	We certainly understand your concerns regarding those motorists who flagrantly violate the HOV lane restrictions. 

	It may interest you to know that during 2010, troopers issued 25,295 summonses for HOV violations. You may be assured that we will continue to address the problems you identified and ensure our available resources are effectively and efficiently utilized.

	There are approximately 950 troopers who have patrol responsibility for 95 counties and nearly 65,000 miles of highway in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A manpower allocation study recently completed indicates that approximately 350 additional troopers are needed to provide the professional level of service expected of the Virginia State Police. In Northern Virginia alone the vacancy rate for troopers is approximately 15 percent.

	Please be assured we are using every resource we have available to effectively address these violations on our roads and enforce the other laws we are charged with enforcing.

	I am also forwarding a copy of your e-mail to Captain T.S. Russillo our Division Commander in Fairfax for her information and attention to the problems you identified. 

	Thank you for your concern for highway safety.

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keo sims Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 04 May 2011 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote keo sims Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: HOV Violators and State Police Enforcement Posted: 06 Jun 2011 at 11:06am
	In response to the complaint I sent in last week. I received this email from the VA State Police Business Manager- ***************************************************************** Lieutenant Colonel E.A. Stockton, Director of the Bureau of Field Operations for the Virginia State Police has asked me to thank you for and respond to e-mail of June 3, 2011, concerning HOV violators and enforcement. We certainly understand your concerns regarding those motorists who flagrantly violate the HOV lane restrictions. It may interest you to know that during 2010, troopers issued 25,295 summonses for HOV violations. You may be assured that we will continue to address the problems you identified and ensure our available resources are effectively and efficiently utilized. There are approximately 950 troopers who have patrol responsibility for 95 counties and nearly 65,000 miles of highway in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A manpower allocation study recently completed indicates that approximately 350 additional troopers are needed to provide the professional level of service expected of the Virginia State Police. In Northern Virginia alone the vacancy rate for troopers is approximately 15 percent. Please be assured we are using every resource we have available to effectively address these violations on our roads and enforce the other laws we are charged with enforcing. I am also forwarding a copy of your e-mail to Captain T.S. Russillo our Division Commander in Fairfax for her information and attention to the problems you identified. Thank you for your concern for highway safety.

keo sims Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 04 May 2011 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote keo sims Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jun 2011 at 3:37pm
	An additonal email from the 5th Division VSP Commander. ********************************************************************* Today I received a copy of your e-mail originally sent to the Virginia Department of Transportation.. While I am of course concerned regarding the amount of HOV violations you witness, as far as not seeing one of our troopers in the HOV lanes, please allow me to offer an explanation. The troopers in our Area 32 (VA Beach/Norfolk) Office are tasked with patrolling the HOV lanes for compliance and enforcement of violations. These same troopers are also required to handle all motor vehicle crashes and calls for service in the entire VA Beach/Norfolk area during the same times the HOV lanes are limited to at least two per vehicle (rush hours). Often they simply cannot patrol the HOV lanes as much they would like to. Currently, Area 32 is understaffed by at least five (5) troopers (not counting those on leave, sickness, or training assignments) and as a Division; we are approximately thirty-five (35) troopers short. State-wide, the Department of State Police is just under two hundred and fifty (250) troopers short. Also, please let me state that our Department is not suffering alone. Virtually every state agency is understaffed and all budgets have been reduced as far as possible due to economic shortfalls. Now that you have heard my explanations, please know that we constantly attempt to schedule extra troopers if at all possible to enforce the HOV lanes exclusively. Whenever possible our Motorcycle Unit patrols for HOV violations ONLY during special assignments but they are also understaffed at this time. I am copying this e-mail to our Area 32 Office & our Motorcycle Unit so they will be aware of your concerns regarding the HOV lanes.

Pele Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 27 May 2008 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pele Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jun 2011 at 8:51pm
	Man, forget Virginia Beach... You guys get done with your commute and you live near a BEACH... We work in the hellhole that is D.C. and commute home to the middle of Suburbia... Cookie cutter houses, small yards, and the MS13 gang. When you compare Dale City or Triangle to something like Virginia Beach, there are no redeeming factors. Suburbia... Beach... Look out back and see my neighbors yard... Look out back and see sand and waves... Which would I rather prefer? ------------------------- Times to beat: Horner Rd to/from Pentagon: 12 mins Without Slugs - 17 mins With slugs Dale City exit to/from 3rd St Tunnel, D.C. 18 mins (No slugs - Holiday)

ktzmom Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote ktzmom Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jun 2011 at 3:21pm
	I'm from VA Beach; I live here. You don't want to live in VA Beach. Gangs are even worse there b/c there is absolutely NOTHING else to do - other than go to a dirty, over-crowded beach.

keo sims Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 04 May 2011 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote keo sims Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 2011 at 9:09am
	Update A VA State Police Srg. called me yesterday and thanked me for my complaint..she stated that are very much aware there is a real issue with violaters in the HOV lanes and assured me they are doing all they can to try and prevent it. She also said that within the next couple of weeks there will be several "target" days..she said that on these days we will notice heavy police patrol in the HOV during peak hours. Of course she did not go into any detail of when these days would occur but she did state that they will be coming up soon.

ktzmom Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote ktzmom Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 2011 at 11:01am
	I've already seen them out twice this week - Monday and today. Lots of cop cars in the HOV lanes at 8:45 am.

mpatoka Members Profile Find Members Posts Junior Slug Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 12	Post Options Post Reply Quote mpatoka Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 2011 at 12:23pm
	Besides not having enough manpower to constantly check each exit/entry point, by not checking consistently, I think they let the cheaters get in a little comfort zone which increases the number of cheaters and then they can nab a higher number on their "sting" days. In reality, if there was constant 100% monitoring, the law of diminishing returns states that there would eventually be no violaters, resulting in no revenue to make it worth keeping the extra troopers monitoring the HOVs. That being said, when they used to monitor the Springfield HOV exit ramp daily, there would always be 3-4 cars pulled over at any given time.

smithma Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote smithma Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jun 2011 at 4:04pm
	quote: Originally posted by mpatoka Besides not having enough manpower to constantly check each exit/entry point, by not checking consistently, I think they let the cheaters get in a little comfort zone which increases the number of cheaters and then they can nab a higher number on their "sting" days. In reality, if there was constant 100% monitoring, the law of diminishing returns states that there would eventually be no violaters, resulting in no revenue to make it worth keeping the extra troopers monitoring the HOVs. That being said, when they used to monitor the Springfield HOV exit ramp daily, there would always be 3-4 cars pulled over at any given time. True about the Springfield ramp, but two nights ago I watched the two officers standing there let a SOV with GSA tags drive right by and then waved at the older couple (2 in car) with FD plates as they drove past. They really need to ENFORCE the rules.