SANATOGA PA – If you drove or rode in a vehicle around Lower Pottsgrove Township during June (2012) without being buckled up, you may have received an expensive “gift” from members of the police department: a ticket for violating Pennsylvania’s seat belt laws.

The department spent 18 hours last month on enforcement details for the state’s “Click-It-Or-Ticket” initiative, Chief Michael Foltz told the Board of Commissioners at its July 9 meeting. During the effort, Foltz added, his officers logged contacts with 4,657 people, an average of 259 individuals an hour.

The good news, Foltz noted, is that vehicle occupants seem to take the seat belt laws seriously. Police issued only two tickets for that specific violation over the course of the month. But, as radio news commentator Paul Harvey used to say, “here’s the rest of the story:” 32 other tickets also were issued. Twenty-five of them were for speeding violations; seven were for other “miscellaneous” violations.

Overtime expenses for the enforcement are covered by state reimbursements, Foltz said, and were included in 22 hours of overtime incurred by the department during June for “special assignments,” at an average cost of about $52 per hour.

Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ meeting of July 9):

• Township Click-It-Or-Ticket Effort Results In 34 Citations
• Township Hopes Training Ends Harassment Complaint
• ‘Acting’ Title Gone; Foltz Now Township’s Police Chief
• Foltz Promotion Due When Commissioners Meet Tonight

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