Fort Kent police chief reminds drivers to sluggish down, obey visitors legal guidelines

FORT KENT, Maine — Residents have filed increasingly lawsuits with police about speeding and other visitors violations inside the beyond few weeks, prompting Chief Tom Pelletier to remind drivers about the importance of slowing down and obeying the regulation. He additionally mentioned that violators face hefty fines.
The complaints include reports of loud mufflers, squealing tires, and speeding inside the downtown vicinity, Pelletier said.
“Spring is here and we recognize humans have spring fever and are stressful for summer, however, we ask humans to be respectful of other human beings within the network,” Pelletier stated.
The police leader said he’s most involved approximately reviews that motorists are failing to forestall for pedestrians on the town crosswalks.
“Some crosswalks have button lighting to alert drawing near motorists to pedestrians inside the crosswalk,” he said. “The regulation calls for motorists to prevent at crosswalks if there’s a pedestrian in the crosswalk and especially if the lighting is flashing.”
Pelletier mentioned that failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk contains a $165 satisfactory.
“We want humans to be privy to those legal guidelines,” he stated. “We plan to put into effect them.”
Pelletier noted that the neighborhood police branch is currently down two full-time officials with the departure of Michael DeLena, who later joined the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, and because of the brief go away of Sgt. Dalen Boucher. The department is currently recruiting a new officer to fill DeLena’s role.
The chief added that the local department has obtained a 26 percentage boom in all calls for service, with visitors violations being a part of them, in the beyond 12 months.
“Our lower in sources makes it a challenge for us, but we reply to and take significantly all proceedings,” Pelletier stated.
“We ask for the public’s help in regards to a number of these site visitors issues, that motorists comply with the regulation and show recognize for others,” he said.