Moss Point leaders using new tool to encourage drivers to slow down

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - Law enforcement strongly advised folks who live in Moss Point to watch the speed limit. City leaders said even if you don’t see an officer, you could still get caught.

The City of Moss Point and its police department are cracking down on speeding in River City. Authorities urged drivers to slow down or pay up.

“People were complaining about how people were speeding in their communities,” said Mayor Billy Knight. “You know, we’re always concerned about that.”

The city showcased its latest tool to combat speeders Friday. The brand-new radar trailer monitors traffic and displays drivers’ speed.

Mayor Knight said citizens did not have to foot the bill. The $7,000 crime-fighting tool was purchased through the police departments’ drug forfeiture funds.

“Anything we can do without costing the taxpayers, and the city benefits from it, is a win-win situation,” said Knight.

According to the city’s police chief, a speeding ticket in his jurisdiction costs approximately $200. He said the goal is to remind travelers to slow down, but if they don’t, it will cost them.

“I hate to say it, but we will give a ticket if we have to, and that will generate revenue, Knight remarked. “But the most important thing is the safety. This is all about safety for us.”

On Friday, the radar trailer was located near River Road and Cumberland Drive. Because it’s mobile, it can be placed in different speeding hot spots across the city.

“The fact that it is portable allows us to move it to different communities and hopefully let people know that we are concerned about every community,” said Knight. “When people know you have extra security in some kind of way in their community, it allows them to relax a little bit because they know that the city is at least aware of the situation.”

The city’s police chief said his department will take the next few weeks to monitor the effectiveness of the speed radar trailer.

If its highly successful, the city will likely purchase more in the future.

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