Press Release: Case Study: Laser Technology Inc. 'Earns its Stripes' by Nabbing Speeders for Ossining PD

January 23, 2008

Case Study: Laser Technology Inc. 'Earns its Stripes' by Nabbing Speeders for Ossining PD

As cities keep expanding, speeding continues to be a growing problem for law enforcement agencies, compounded by aggressive driving. The Ossining, New York Police Department is no exception, although it now effectively controls speeders using an increasingly popular technology—lidar—short for light detection and ranging.

After using radar to target speeders for 15 years, Ossining’s police force adopted the LTI 20-20 Marksman laser from Laser Technology, Inc., of Centennial, Colorado. The Marksman, an older laser model the company no longer offers, has been replaced by the more recent LTI UltraLyte hand-held speed laser. Today Ossining P.D. uses both LTI laser systems.

Four state roads run through the 3.3 square mile village of Ossining, carrying heavy commuter traffic in the morning and evening. Invariably, the peak traffic hours bring with it many aggressive drivers who speed through the village’s marked slow speed zones. According to Police Chief Joseph Burton, Jr., using the LTI UltraLyte lasers, police officers can zero in on one vehicle’s speed in dense, multilane traffic because the beam width is so narrow in comparison to radar. The lasers are lightweight, portable, easy to use, and have more targeting accuracy than radar units. As a result, says Chief Burton, “Officers seem to be using the lasers more; therefore, more summons are being issued and speeds are reduced.

Ossining Police Officer Peter Carpenter, who works in his department’s traffic unit, concurs with Chief Burton’s assessment. “As far as enforcement, LTI’s lasers by far have the quickest speed acquisition time of any other laser tested by this department,” Officer Carpenter said. “And due to the ease of use, you will often find our average ‘beat cop’ taking out a laser and coming in with a few summonses at the end of the day.”

The Ossining P.D. routinely conducts traffic studies to track speeding and set new, lower speed limits, especially in school zones. New speed zone ordinances were enacted as this school year got underway, Chief Burton notes. “Officers tend to use
the LTI lasers more (compared to radar units) as they are small, and because daily calibration tests (which can be performed in five minutes) and just mere operation of the lasers is easy,” Chief Burton said.

In addition, Ossining’s police officers find the LTI UltraLyte to be much more exact than radar since the laser can shoot a 500- to 1000-foot beam, with a diameter of one to three feet. The LTI laser is accurate for pinpointing the actual car targeted, whereas radar emits a beam that captures the entire roadway, the sidewalk and all other objects in its pathway.

In addition to speed control, Chief Burton says the Ossining P.D. uses its LTI lasers for other purposes, too, such as ranging to record exact distances. Specifically, the lasers are helpful for shooting ranges within school speed zones and as part of traffic studies.

The Ossining P.D. is breaking the tide of speeding in its village by providing a dedicated traffic enforcement officer who rotates himself in the problem traffic areas using the LTI laser. So far, not only has speeding been reduced, but also, says Chief Burton, “The proper use of the laser tends to render defense counsels less room to impeach officer testimony.”