Elk Grove Police conduct decoy operation to catch reckless motorists violating cross walks

Borrowing New York Police Department techniques to catch muggers during the 1970s, the Elk Grove Police recently conducted a decoy operation on reckless motorists. While the NYPD had male officers appear in drag, Elk Grove Police had officers dressed in civilian clothes to catch crosswalk violators and protect pedestrians.

According to department reports, this was the second decoy operation conducted in recent months. The operations went like this: dressed in plain clothes, officers crossed the street at the marked crosswalk as uniformed motorcycle officers were hidden nearby to monitor motorists.

Yesterday’s operation was conducted at Harbour Point and Buckminster and Elk Grove Boulevard, just east of Walnut Avenue in Historic Downtown Elk Grove. Officers issued 20 citations.

The July operation was conducted near the intersections of Whitelock Parkway and Knotts Drive and Laguna Boulevard and Bruceville Road. That operation resulted in 14 motorist citations.

In their statement announcing the decoy operations, the Elk Grove Police Department said:

Now, you might be wondering why we’re doing all this. Well, it’s simple: We’re all about making the roads safer. These crosswalk safety operations are another tool our department utilizes to improve traffic safety and educate motorists. A grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety funds these operations. Remember, when approaching a crosswalk where pedestrians are present, drivers must yield the right-of-way.