New Rome Speed Trap is NO MORE!! Police Department disbanded.

Hometown » Ohio

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - New Rome Speed Trap is NO MORE!! Police Department disbanded.

Posted: 7/22/2003 5:25:18 AM EDT

There was some discussion about this on AR15.com several months back after New Rome was featured in a national magazine.

Those who had been snapped in the New Rome trap can feel a little better that the state has shut New Rome down.

www.marionstar.com/news/stories/20030720/localnews/612935.html

New Rome, city widely known as speed trap, loses only traffic light

AP
--------------------------------

NEW ROME (AP) -- Onlookers cheered state officials as they took down the only traffic light in this central Ohio village known for decades as a speed trap.

"It's wonderful," said Mayor Jamie Mueller, who has been trying to improve the image of the village since becoming the first mayor elected in New Rome in more than a decade. "It's another step in the right direction."

But Village Council member David Tisler disagreed.

"It's all because of some political bull," said Tisler, insisting the removal was part of a plot to shut down the village.

For years, the light marked the village's 1,000-foot stretch of U.S. 40, where police pulled over thousands of motorists.

Business owners had long complained that police stops caused potential customers to avoid the community.

The police department in the community of about 60 people west of Columbus has been inactive since June, when Police Chief Larry Cunningham and Lt. Roger Kerr resigned.

The officers departed soon after Gov. Bob Taft signed a law that suspends mayor's courts in villages with fewer than 100 people. It was widely seen as being aimed at New Rome.

Mueller said he is happy to see the end of a police department that used to generate more than $400,000 a year in traffic fines.

Tisler said the village no longer is protected.

He said the absence of police allowed a hot dog shop to be broken into.

"Radios have been stolen out of these cars. I used to be able to sleep with my doors open," he said.

The Ohio Department of Transportation decided to get rid of the light because of low traffic volume on the cross street where it was located, spokeswoman Michelle May said.

ODOT officials said four intersections within a mile of the light already have signals.

Originally published Sunday, July 20, 2003

Posted: 7/22/2003 6:24:37 AM EDT

[#1]

Great, now we can move on the Linndale and get those f*@kers out as well.

Posted: 7/23/2003 2:43:32 AM EDT

[#2]

A hot dog joint broken into?

Maybe P.E.T.A. tried freeing the weiners?
At least there will be a new strip club soon, that should take care of any idle time.

Linndale?

I used to buy guns at the Shell station there, but the gunshop was really located in Cleveland. Stupid laws

Posted: 7/24/2003 10:53:03 AM EDT

[#3]

I went to HS in Galloway, had to drive through that POS town every week for 4 years. As far as I'm concerned, New Rome should be made into a trash dump! They will bust your ass for going 1/2 mph over the limit!!!

Posted: 7/24/2003 11:46:28 PM EDT

[#4]

When I went to Columbus State's Law Enforcement degree program some of the morons I went there with got hired at New Rome. I wonder what they'll do for work now? Oh well it serves that department right for the way they treated motorists for so many years.

Posted: 8/3/2003 11:03:22 AM EDT

[#5]

Except Linndale isn't a speed trap, they merely used to stop a lot of folks who exceed the same speed limit posted the last 10 miles! The fact that no one else enforced the limit doesn't make it a speed trap.

A speed trap has an instant, unexpected low speed limit that's rigidly enforced. I wish the cops would do this on my street!

-- Chuck

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - New Rome Speed Trap is NO MORE!! Police Department disbanded.

Hometown » Ohio

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