FARMINGTON — The Police Department can screen and direct where to send officers based on data obtained during speed analyses, Chief Kenneth Charles told selectmen at the July 23 board meeting.

An analysis of speed data collected from Bailey Hill Road in Farmington shows 35% of drivers during the two week collection period had enforceable violations. Similar studies have or will be conducted elsewhere in Farmington to help determine where and when police officers should patrol. Farmington Police Department

Selectman Dennis O’Neil asked about the traffic speed analysis completed recently for Bailey Hill Road. The information was part of the report each department now provides the selectmen before board meetings.

The percentage of enforceable violations was 35%, over one-third of the posts, O’Neil said. “It says the average speed is 51 [miles per hour],” he noted. “I am wondering what the high end speeds were. For everyone that goes 71 someone goes 31, that is how we get 51.”

“This is the challenge that you have when you collect this kind of data,” Charles replied. “You can really get into the weeds to try to nail down exactly what is happening for that kind of a discrepancy, to have a really low average as an overage.”

Charles said where the device was located tells part of the story. “It is right at the midpoint once you go past Granite Heights where it starts to climb,” he stated. “People are slowly transitioning to a higher speed limit plus they are climbing a hill as opposed to the inverse where they are coming down. We probably have less of a problem with the outbound traffic compared with the inbound traffic.”

Time of day, particular days can be looked at, screen the information to direct patrols and where to send officers at a specific time, Charles stated. “We can be a little bit more efficient while also being more visible,” he said.

“The data is there,” Chair Joshua Bell noted. “It sounds like you are obviously on top of it. You know when’s the best opportunity, the best place to go out and patrol. Normally if you see a police officer sitting there it tends to slow people down.”

It does, Charles responded. “There is truth to it,” he said. “Does anybody feel like there isn’t a speeding problem on their road? This is the life that everyone is living. Everyone is distracted, everyone’s rushed.”

Officers have a marker, what will trigger stopping a car, Charles stressed. Drivers will go this fast and no more, won’t go any less regardless of the posted speed limit, he noted. He plans to share the data on social media and with those requesting it.

The data collection device is a small black box, people don’t notice it, Charles noted.

“We are going to try to get to the more major, the higher volume complaint areas,” Charles said. “I think it is a useful tool. It is relatively easy to set up, it’s small. People are going to change behaviors when there is a big, flashing sign in their face so we have to be creative in how we set the system up. We do have those options.”

Charles said he wants to see what driving behaviors are without seeing a police car or a flashing sign.

“Are these statistics going both ways on Bailey Hill,” Selectman Richard Morton asked.

They are, there were 7,000 passers by, Charles replied. Each trigger is logged into an Excel spreadsheet, it does mark both directions, he said. “You can sort it, average it,” he noted. ” There is a lot ultimately just to get it out for two weeks, download the report, convert it from a PDF file to a JPEG, post it, respond to the other comments.”

Speed data collected over a two week period on Davis Road in Farmington saw lower traffic numbers and fewer enforceable speed violations than a study done for Bailey Hill Road in Farmington. Farmington Police Department

The data showed a drastic difference based on direction, Charles said.

“I think the data is helpful because it gives facts,” Bell stated. “It is not just peoples’ perception. When you are standing there and somebody is going by, you might think they are driving over the speed limit but in reality it is just you are standing still and they are driving by. I like this because it actually gives data back.”

Morton agreed, thought the more important piece was data seen going from higher to lower speed zones. Coming from Industry down Perham Street, down Bailey Hill Road to Maple Avenue and Fairbanks Road into Farmington were examples he shared. “Where people don’t slow down after they have been in a higher speed area, that seems to be more dangerous,” he added.

The data can be used to justify grants, equipment, police focus targeting on a known problem area, Charles said. “We can’t be everywhere,” he stressed. “We can look at engineering, traffic calming devices.”

Installing speed tables like those on Front and High streets might not be the answer, Charles stated. “Sometimes it is signage, sometimes it is lit signage,” he said. “There are a lot of different options.”