July 27, 2022
BREMERTON – The Washington State Patrol (WSP), Bremerton Police Department (BPD), Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), and Port Orchard Police Department (POPD) are conducting the third of four “High Visibility Enforcement” (HiVE) patrols in the five-mile radius of Gorst this Thursday, July 28, 2022. The focus area includes West Bremerton and areas of Port Orchard.
HiVE patrols focus on reducing serious injury and fatality collisions, as well as reducing and interdicting crime in data-proven hotspots. While the emphasis lasts throughout the day, the focus area is saturated with patrols during peak times when serious injury and fatality collisions have historically occurred.
The first of the four HiVE patrols on July 14 resulted in 54 traffic stops, 67 violations, 33 speed contacts, and five criminal offenses within the four-hour peak time. The second HiVE resulted in 147 total traffic stops, 184 violations, 87 speed contacts and nine criminal offenses within the same time frame.
The HiVE patrol locations and times are dictated by data collected by each agency. Participating law enforcement utilize an all crimes approach with a focus on collision causing violations. The large law enforcement presence is also aimed at deterring criminal activity in high crime areas.
The HiVE patrols need the public’s help as well: If you observe dangerous driving behaviors or witness a crime, call 9-1-1. Be prepared to provide an accurate location and description of what you have seen, including involved vehicle makes/models, license plates or physical descriptions if possible.
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) reports Washington state witnessed a 20-year high number of fatality crashes in 2021: 596 collisions resulting 633 tragic deaths. Fifteen of those collisions occurred in Kitsap County claiming 17 lives.
Follow the WSP District 8 (@wspd8pio), BPD (@BremertonPD), KCSO (@KitsapCoSheriff) on Twitter and POPD’s (@portorchardpolicedept) on Instagram to learn of the progress of the HiVE efforts.
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