Traffic control without bright vest worries driver
October 2nd, 2008 by travis baker
The in basket: Lesa Refro passed a traffic accident scene in Silverdale back in May and was concerned for a deputy sheriff who was directing traffic there. He was in his green uniform, she said, and hard to see, especially when standing in front of his like-colored patrol car.
“There was so much distraction, so many cars and people and the fire department had big yellow outfits on that really caught your attention,” she said. “I was worried that he would be in a lot of danger. He was really brave.” She wondered why deputies don’t take the same precaution as the firefighters.
The out basket: Deputy Scott Wilson, spokesman for the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, replied, “Sheriff’s deputies have been issued reflective traffic vests for
many years now. Some still have the prior issue ones, orange with reflective lettering, while more recent hires have vests in the OSHA greenish-yellowish coloring.
“Under federal guidelines we are required to equip all deputies with the newer, OSHA traffic vests. This is an on-going process. The sheriff’s
patrol division is sampling and wear-testing various OSHA reflective
vests to try and determine which is most suitable for our purposes.
“There is no requirement in the current sheriff’s office policy manual
regarding when/where a deputy will don a reflective traffic vest,” Scott added. “Deputies typically will put on a reflective traffic vest if they are
going to be engaged in traffic control for a considerable period of
time. In many instances, though, it’s a matter of only a minute or two
after a deputy arrives on scene that he is conducting traffic control
and then the roadway is clear.
“The policy on the wearing of reflective vests during traffic control
will be reviewed by the sheriff’s patrol division for currency and
applicability.”
Tags: accident scene
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
October 11th, 2008 at 12:43 am
“The policy on the wearing of reflective vests during traffic control
will be reviewed by the sheriff’s patrol division for currency and
applicability.”
If anyone finds any money in the vents, please lets us know. The word should be ‘currentness’.