Stockton’s speeders have apparently met their match.
Stockton Police say their beefed-up traffic enforcement is reaping big dividends, cutting the number of traffic fatalities so far this year by more than half.
At the same time, officers have tried to make a dent in the city’s blight by having abandoned vehicles towed, much to the delight of city councilmembers.
When it comes to traffic enforcement, boosting the number of officers on the Traffic Section squad appears to be making a difference. Through Tuesday, they had made stops on 6,658 motorists.
There have been seven traffic accident-related deaths this year as of Tuesday, compared to 16 during the same period in 2024, police said in a social media post. Last year marked the deadliest year yet with 32 dying as a result of car accidents on Stockton streets.
In some cases, Stockton’s force of 11 full-time motorcycle officers have been joined by fellow traffic law enforcers from other cities in special enforcement actions that target problem areas for speeding or other traffic violations.
Besides cracking down on traffic law violations, officers have also taken time to address a major quality-of-life issue: Derelict cars and trucks have been a major eyesore in neighborhoods.
Now some of those junk heaps are getting towed off the streets. Officers have had 438 abandoned vehicles removed so far this year, the department said.