January 22, 2020
BREMERTON – The Washington State Patrol (WSP), Bremerton Police Department (BPD), and Port Orchard Police Department (POPD) are teaming up in an effort to reduce injury, serious injury and fatality collisions during a “High Visibility Enforcement” (HIVE) patrol tomorrow.
The HIVE patrol will take place Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 along state Route 160 in Port Orchard and state Routes 16 and 3 in and around Gorst. Law enforcement motorcycle units, narcotics K9 teams, Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) and WSP aircraft will also participate in Thursday’s emphasis.
“Our goal is to use data and technology to ensure the right resources are in the right place at the right time in order to create a safe motoring environment within our Washington communities,” said WSP
Captain James Mjor. “The area we are targeting accounts for a large percentage of our collisions resulting in injuries to our citizens, long delays for our Kitsap County workforce, and impacts our commerce using the roadways. Our goal is to combine enforcement with our local partners, use our visibility, and a publicity strategy to educate the public and promote a voluntary compliance with our Washington state laws. Our end result is to drastically reduce our injury collisions in and around Gorst.”
WSP data from the past six years identifies the five-mile radius near Gorst as an area with a high volume of collisions. Twenty-five percent of collisions reported in that area result in injuries, serious injuries or fatalities.
“We’re excited to partner with WSP and BPD for this important emphasis,” said POPD Chief Matt Brown. “This area affects all of our communities, and has a direct impact on our quality of life. It’s important that we regularly come together to make the region safer for our visitors, our commuters and our citizens.”
HIVE patrols is an all crimes approach and will focus on collision causing violations, including speed, following distance, impaired driving, distracted driving and aggressive driving behaviors.
“BPD is excited to work with WSP and POPD in a collaborative effort to educate Kitsap drivers to reduce their speeds,” said BPD Lieutenant Mike Davis. “With increases in population here in Kitsap County, it’s imperative for drivers to slow down and pay more attention to their driving.”
Future HIVE patrols are planned in other locations throughout Kitsap County with the ongoing goal of creating safe roadways for the motoring public.
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