Law Enforcement in Eaton, CO

[chilaili]

Sounds a lot like Lyons! The speed limit there drops rather abruptly from 55 to 45 to 25 just before you get into the "downtown" area, but the sign is definitely there. I have seen so many "tourists" heading up to Estes Park over holiday weekends get caught as they either ignore the sign or don't spot it and come zooming around the corner and right into the path of one of the town's friendly police who are only too happy to inform them of their error.

[Caoimhín P. Connell]

Actually, speed traps are illegal in Colorado, and I have never actually seen one in use.

Most of the people to whom I give speeding tickets and who claim there is a “speed trap” are defensively referring to the very large, black and white, standard, speed limit sign that they simply didn’t see (or ignored as inconvenient).

Now, who’s fault is that?

Excuse of the day: (This is real) –

As I drove through a school zone this afternoon, I saw another driver approaching me in the opposite direction. I observed his speed on my radar for several seconds - he was already 3/4 of the way through the school zone and I locked his speed at 15 mph over the speed limit. I turned my squad car around and contacted the driver. I told him why I had contacted him and asked him if there was some reason why he was going that fast?

Driver:
"Well, I didn’t know that you were a cop, and I really felt pressured that you were behind me, and so I sped up because I felt that you were trying to make me go faster.”

Me:
Actually, Sir, I was in front of you, and I locked your speed in my front radar as I approached you.

Driver:
You were? Oh. Well, I was speeding because I was lost.

Pick a card... any card...

Cheers!
Caoimhín P. Connell
(Just moving through life like the rest of humanity… but smiling most of the way.)

(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

AMDG

[esya]

I drive the entire state in a work car, a white leased vehicle, and have for nine years. I do think they pay attention to the white car. However, "keeping up with traffic" is speeding and you have to know the laws.

I hate the tickets but you know what? speeding traffic creates noise pollution which I hate more. So go the limit or you will get tickets just like the people who live here. They just know where the cops hang out, just like you do at home.

[madibri]

We do now live in Loveland, CO, and as we continue to look for a property we haven't ruled out Eaton completely. I was pretty hot after getting the ticket, being the first we have ever had. My wife was doing 53 in a 35, she thought the speed limit was 55, therefore actually traveling under it. There are many more patrol cars in Northern Colorado than in Iowa. I would say it is upwards of 4:1. It's unbelievable how many of them are out there. We love living in Colorado, and since have been keeping our eyes open for those signs :-) To everyone who responded to the post--thank you for your feedback, both good and bad.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by madibri

We do now live in Loveland, CO, and as we continue to look for a property we haven't ruled out Eaton completely. I was pretty hot after getting the ticket, being the first we have ever had. My wife was doing 53 in a 35, she thought the speed limit was 55, therefore actually traveling under it. There are many more patrol cars in Northern Colorado than in Iowa. I would say it is upwards of 4:1. It's unbelievable how many of them are out there. We love living in Colorado, and since have been keeping our eyes open for those signs :-) To everyone who responded to the post--thank you for your feedback, both good and bad.

Colorado has to be one of the most UNDER-PATROLLED states on state and US highways anywhere in the country. The number of troopers in the CSP has not significantly increased in 30 years, and the amount of traffic has more than doubled, along with drastic increases in vehicle miles driven. I drive the state from end to end enough to know how many troopers are out there and it isn't near enough. Quite often, I've literally driven clear across the state of Colorado, from one end to the other, and have not seen ONE trooper. The results of that show quite clearly: rampant speeding, dangerous passing, flagrant disregard of traffic laws, overweight trucks, and litany of other traffic problems.

Most county sheriff's offices in Colorado are also woefully understaffed, and will frequently ignore all but the most egregious traffic violations--they simply don't have time to deal with them. Municipalities tend to be somewhat more rigorous toward traffic enforcement, but they should be. Theirs is the domain of school zones, pedestrian traffic, multiple intersections, and heavy urban traffic.

I would personally support doubling or tripling current Colorado traffic fines and penalties--with the money used to fund additional troopers and patrolling. It might bring some very needed civility back to Colorado highways.

[Eatonite]

I sympathize with those have been "caught", including a close relative of mine.

But speeding tickets are not the only problem if you ask me.

We moved to Eaton over 10 years ago, and right from the beginning we were constantly getting 'warning notices' from the police. Initially it was for an 'abandoned' vehicle, which was my faithful old truck that had 'given up the ghost' while we were moving to Eaton. I planned to rebuild and restore it, but, after it had been in front of my house for all of about a month, one of our 'friendly' neighbors notified the police.

We received a notice, so I hauled the dead pick-up on to my property in the back (and mostly out of sight). Then a few weeks later, we get another notice saying we can't store it unless it has current plates, so we restart the insurance (for a vehicle that doesn't run!) and get current plates.

Then, they come back and this time the police officer (I think his name was B. Fife, but I not sure) said city ordinance said the truck couldn't not be 'stored' within sight. So, I built a 'blind' to mask the offending sight.
The story goes on, including having the truck towed and having to pay towing a storage charges to get it back, but I won't bore you.

We have also received 'weeds notices' like clock work every year. Now, I'll admit that I'm not Mr. Green Jeans, but I have noticed that several yards within a few blocks of my home seem to get over looked when they have knee high weeds .

This was also the case with the truck, at the time, I could point out several other cars and trucks that were obvious 'junkers' that hadn't moved for months. (at least mine moved, even if it wasn't under is own power).

When I finally had enough, I set out to review the public records to see if there was a noticeable trend in which areas of town got tickets. Well, since we apparently didn't have a city records clerk to help me, I got to go the police station and nervously thumb through a small pile of notices while the police chief glared at me and said I was insulting the integrity
of the Eaton Police Department.

This is an absolutely true story, So, I you are thinking of moving to Eaton, LOOK ELSEWHERE. Especially if you happen to be a "person of color" and/or have ancestors that originated in southern Europe. I wish I hadn't moved here.