Crime & Safety

Deerfield Police Double Cell Phone Stops

Local Department is part of area wide enforcement initiative to stem hand held cell phone use beginning days after governor signs state-wide ban.

The Deerfield Police Department will be joining forces with the Winnetka, Highland Park, Highwood, Lake Forest and Waukegan agencies from August 26 through 30 to enforce and educate the communities on hand-held cell phone use while driving restrictions.

Deerfield has already stopped 1,555 motorists for hand held cell phone violations in the first half of 2013 compared to 810 during the previous period a year ago. Part of the reason has been stepped up enforcement in the Lake Cook Road construction zone.

The timing of this effort is not coincidental. “Our officers will be concentrating in school zones,” Deerfield Police Chief John Sliozis said. This initiative is set to correspond with the start of school. An earlier concentration of effort was held at the end of the last term.

All of the involved communities have similar ordinances which restrict the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. 

Between June 3 and 7, the five departments (with the exception of Highwood, as their restrictions began on August 1) issued a total of 152 citations and 79 warnings for hand-held cell phone use while driving violations, 37 citations for hand-held cell phone use while in a school zone and 81 citations for hand-held cell phone use while driving in a construction zone. 

On Saturday, Gov. Pat Quinn signed a state-wide ban of hand-held devices behind the wheel into law, according to the Chicago Tribune. The law will take effect on Jan. 1.

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