“Most of our summonses are for 15MPH or more over the posted speed limit. No one, at least in my opinion, can argue that is not an excessive speed. ”
WPOA continues to invest in speed awareness devices for both the mountain and the valley.
Over the past several years the Wintergreen Police Department has stressed the importance of following the community-wide speed limit of 25 MPH. We have deployed electronic speed monitoring devices and reported back at the Valley and Mountain annual meetings with the message speeding will not be tolerated in our community.
We like giving warnings but sometimes this does not produce the desired result, and more enforceable actions must be taken. Writing summonses are time consuming and costly for both the motorist and our Officer. The time spent writing the summons, taking a tongue lashing from the motorist, attending court usually on the officers’ day off and all the costs in keeping speed measuring devices calibrated and certified and the costs to the motorists and the Courts.
Our community has entrusted the Wintergreen Police Department to keep the streets safe to walk, ride a bicycle and exercise pets. I cannot count the number of times my telephone has rang and a citizen complained about speeders. They do not want to hear about speed measuring devices or warnings they want action that sends a clear message to slow down.
In 2024 we made 384 traffic stops and wrote 75 summonses for speeding. Since January of this year, we have stopped 111 vehicles and written 39 summonses. Some may say that’s too much, this is a Resort Community, and we rely on people living, working, visiting and playing at Wintergreen. Maybe so, but we all have an obligation and a duty to obey the speed limit and if not, we will enforce it especially when a total disregard for the limit is demonstrated.
Most of our summonses are for 15MPH or more over the posted speed limit. No one, at least in my opinion, can argue that is not an excessive speed. No one, at least in my opinion, can argue that is not excessive. Think about a school zone with children crossing the road. Now picture a car entering the school zone at 40MPH. Excessive, yes and dangerous to the pedestrian and the motorist.
We want our roads to be safe for everyone. Please take a moment and look at your speedometer. Ask yourself, “am I doing what’s right for myself and my community”? If you choose to have a lead foot, then we will continue to ask you to press hard four copies on your summons.
On behalf of the women and men of the Wintergreen Police Department thank you for obeying our 25MPH community-wide speed limit. A life saved may be your own.
Wintergreen Police Chief Dennis Russell