If the head of traffic for the Chatham-Kent Police Service had infinite resources, he’d have a police cruiser parked on Michener Road every day of the week.
Then again, he’d do that everywhere the police service had complaints from local residents about speeding vehicles.
But Sgt. Mike Domony doesn’t have such freedom. So while residents on Michener say cars are still speeding down their residential street at unsafe speeds, they won’t see a police officer camped out on their road, day in and day out.
“If I had an unlimited number of police vehicles, I’d have a guy there all the time. That’s the same for other spots where we’ve received complaints,” said Sgt. Mike Domony. “We’re aware of the street. We’re aware of the potential problems and we are doing what we can to make it safer.”
Jeff Brooks, a Michener Road resident, said he hasn’t noticed any increased police presence near where he lives, but admitted they could be conducting enforcement further up the road.
“I realize the police are busy, but this issue is just crazy. There are lots of kids in the neighbourhood,” he said.
Domony stressed police have upped their presence.
“From an enforcement standpoint, I know some of our guys have been down there a bit more. But to say we’re there daily, no,” he said.
When police are present, they do have an impact, but only temporary, Domony said.
“The simple fact is we go there, cars slow down. Just the fact we’re there, cars slow down,” he said. “But when we’re gone, the speeds creep back up.”
The sergeant lives in that part of Chatham. He said there are speeders through that road, but typically nothing like what happened last summer. Michener was the site of a late-night summer crash, where a car failed to negotiate the chicane and sheered off a street lamp and a transformer box.
Local residents say other accidents have left cars in front yards, or right up against a house.
Domony said the summer crash is out of the ordinary for the typical traffic flow.
“The crash itself, it was a two in the morning thing, with the person driving in the manner that unfortunately was going to lead to a crash,” he said. “This was not your average commuter on Michener Road.
“I live in that neighbourhood. I can stand at the end of my driveway and say, ‘That guy looks like he’s speeding.’ But I don’t believe the average driver on that road (Michener) is travelling at speeds that endanger the public.”
Domony said he has asked the municipality’s engineering department to conduct a speed study on the road. That likely won’t be done until the warmer weather returns.
