Police to crack down on seat belt enforcement

Seatbelt crack down? Seriously?

I would like to see the Danville police crack down on drug sales and use around the high school. Drug deals are going down in and around the gas station across the street.

I saw a drug deal go down while filling up and waiting for my high school student. When I told them about it they said "Oh ya, happens all the time".

For more information just ask your kid or the gas station attendant. He finally came out and shoo'd them away. The Danville safety bubble is ready to burst!

Well, aren't the cops and government supposed to protect us from ourselves? It sure beats the alternative, such as growing up, making our own decisions, and aceepting the consequences for those decisions.

As time passes, Libertarianism seems more and more appealing....

Genuinely a fabulous idea!!! But stop there? Have you seen the number of people on cell phones while driving in and about Danville? They must be all talking with each other there are so many. Why not enforce that as well? Why just one goal? Why not the cell phone users? There are plenty of them out there!!!! Just a passing thought for mental digestion.
Besides, why does it take A GRANT to do the basics??????? Maybe along with the GRANT, Cell phone use can be enforced as well.
F. Olivas

Yeah, and what about the people who fart, belch, and make other disgusting sounds as if they're the only one's in the room. There should be laws against those, too.

Seriously? Seat belts? To the first poster's comment-do the Danville cops know about the drug problem in Danville? To me-it seems like it's not so important...here's why: neighbor was a mule for drugs. Called the popo 3 or 4 times-with license plate #s. They said they'd step up police presence-never did. Drug deals on the Iron Horse Trail bridge. When police are called-takes 30-45 minutes for them to arrive. Last year-child was shot and killed in a confrontation over drugs. I saw 6 teenagers smoking dope/cigarettes (both) in front of Charlotte Wood last week, during broad daylight, called the cops. Sir at the gas station-why didn't you call the cops? Please remember-if you are not part of the solution-you are part of the problem.

I support the efforts of the Danville PD and their enforcement of the seat belt law....good job. They will save lives in return for their efforts.

I also would love to see enormous fines issued to people for talking on cell phones & text messaging while driving. I can't believe how many people disregard this law in the Danville community. There isn't a street or highway I ride on where I don't see someone on their phone...."NOT HANDS FREE"

This is seriously endangering innocent lives............and the poor dummy who doesn't wear his or her seat belt could be killed because of this neglect.

Fines should be $500.00 for the first offense and increased to $1,000.00 for the next and immediate confiscation of your cell phone-end of story!. Only serious penalties will deter this crime and save lives!

MEMO TO DANVILLE POLICE:

There is no exemption in the seatbelt law for police officers. Buckle up boys the citizenry
are watching you too!

Just simply amazing that the Danville Police can pick seat belt law to enforce. The drug problem among teens and young adults in this town has gotten out of control. Now there's been robbery of a 15 year old buying marijuana by the very teens who were supposed to sell it to him. These aren't outsiders coming in. These are our kids !! There needs to be a townhall meeting or some other type of symposium to get us all together to come up with something that could help these kids from hurting themselves anymore and hurting anyone else.

It's funny how people can complain about enforcing law without knowing the costs/benefits. I'd like to know, does pulling over someone for not wearing a seatbelt (and fining) them, keep the police officer from preventing a drug sale? My guess is having police patrolling helps prevent crime- whether that crime is going without a seat belt, or selling drugs. And, you may think the seat belt law ONLY protects people from their own stupidity, but what if you are involved (and being accused of causing) an accident that the other driver gets killed because they are seat beltless? Bottom line, if you don't think it should be a law work on changing that- let the police enforce it if it makes sense- before complaining it makes no sense - let's see some financial facts whether it does or not.

I am shaking my head! Zane, you "hit the nail on the head!" The goal is to protect us from ourselves. Guess they don't want to deal with REAL issues, so need to justify their existence in this way??? For the record: I'm NOT a fan!!!

Wow! Sparkles, you are soooo "right on!" Time, energy and money should be spent trying to make our community better, to try to IMPROVE lives! There's REAL work that needs to be done here!!

I got stopped by the Danville police for supposedly not wearing a seat best. Of course, the office who pulled me over did not get out of his car, but waited for another officer to drive up from 2 blocks away! He then drove off, and she (second officer)issued me the ticket. Funny thing, my teenage daughter was in the car with me and we were BOTH wearing our seatbelts the whole time - we always, always do. Interesting how an officer who wasn't even in the vicinity could issue the ticket. Oh yes, it was the end of the month, when "quotas" aren't supposed to be in effect with our Danville police department. Went to court to argue it, but it was my word against his/hers (depending on which officer drove up later). The judge looked pained, because he knew I was right, but he had to rule in favor of the officer. $300+ dollars later, I have lost all respect for the Danville police. By the way, in the SRVTimes, there were 3 subsequent articles in the Letters to the Editor about the same thing, the same officer(s). I smell a scam.

Danville police force is a joke (it should be Danville Police Farce). Every stop requires two cars minimum. Yet kids doing/dealing drugs in open view. Vote anyone who has anything to do with Danville PD out of office. We need new blood.

It's human nature to do only those things for which we have competence. In the case of the DPD, that competence appears to be limited to writing tickets for seatbelt violations, stopping drivers for "suspicious circumstances", etc. I've lived in this community for many, many years, and I cannot honetly say that this community has improved for having a "police force."

In this age of fiscal austerity and budget cut, can't we find better ways to spend our hard earned money? I'd rather have more teachers than more cops any day!

Hey you Danville folks wake up...Your whole City management group is screwed up. It's all about Money, Money, Money...there's NO MONEY put into the City coffer's when the DPD arrest folks on drug and other crime isues. I'm sure they (DPD) get their marching orders before every shift...bring in your wages + 10 or you may not be here tomorrow. It's MONEY you Damnville people. You are a real sick group. Thanks, Julia from Alamo and very proud of it...I wouldn't live or do business in Danville if my life depended on it and lately it's starting to bad in Danville.

Can't fault 'em for legal fundraising.

The law is the law; you break it, you pay.

It WOULD be nice if equal focus could be given to crimes against persons and property as well, but that's how public protection works in the USA.

Personally, I think we need more police in Danville, than we need more teachers.

Dear Emily,

We need to test Danville Police for their focus on enforcement. Let’s create some attractive actions for such a test:

1. Jay walk downtown while leading a Hereford Calf on a bright red leash or maybe an Emu.
2. Organize an open carry event that uses chain saws instead handguns.
3. Drive with the upper part of the seat belt across your mouth so the police know it’s buckled.
4. Buckle large stuffed animals in the remainder of the seats and ask a police officer to inspect your work OR maybe put one in the driver’s seat and complain to the officer that “They won’t let me drive!”

I am quite sure the commentators in this exchange other “quite unsuitable ideas.”

The ROFL in Ralph N. Shirlet

Zane, there you go again expressing my sentiment completely! I really do wish we could have a town forum to simply ask why so much attention is being paid to something which is rather minor. I would like to know that the town's police force is focusing on the things that make it the kind of town we all want and not just seeing the public as "easy money!" The question is; are WE getting our money's worth?? Sorry to be so cynical, but just look at the news in Danville this week!

Thanks for the feedback, bz. I like your idea of a town forum, but it won't happen. "They" want us to focus on the minutia to keep us from noticing gross incompetence, as well as utilizing silly laws to augment tax revenues. Sometimes it's difficult to tell who's worse, our government and its police force, or the bad people from whom they are supposed to protect us. I, for one, never voted to have them protect me from myself. But, I am not a Libertarian....yet.