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PAGE 8, WEDNESDAY. JANI IARY 28,1976, WHITBY FREE PRESS Wiby provincia police assume new duties in 19 76 by LtRIAN WINTER The Wlîitby Detachmnent ofth le Ontario Provincial Police are taking on several new duties ini 1976 as pro- vinicial traffic laws are beiîîg chîanged and tiewjunrisdictîtis are being given to the debach- rtuent. As of Jan. 1, the detach- ment- was given 14.3 additional nîles of provinicial highway to patrol, anîd also the responsibility of eîiforc- ing Ontario's new reduced speed linîits on provinicial higliways. Staff Sergeant Art Mackey, Who is ini charge of the Whitby de aulinient, says that thieîe.will bc no miajor chiange in the det,,ciîîiet's adrninis- tration to handle tliese new duties, but a new zone lias been created for the additional 14 miles of higli- way, which will be patrolled by at lêast one cruiser, 24 hours a day. The Whitby OPP assurned responsibility for traffie r patrol Jan. 1 on Highway 12 from Rossland Road to the Whitby-Scugog town line, and Highway 7 from the Whitby-Pickering Town line to where il joins Highway 12 at Brooklin. The OPP had previously been responsible only for Highways 7 and 12 from Whitby to Brock Township throuàgh the Township of Scugog, while, the portions it 0 has just 'assumed were previqusly under the jurisdic- tion of the Durham Regional Police. The Whitby OPP has also been responsible for Highway 401 fromn Port Union Road in Pickering 10 Harmony Road in Oshawa since the early 1950S. L$ TUESDjA Staff Sergeant Mackey points out that the OPP is responsible for traffic niat tors only on Highiways 7 anid Il2 and criminal niatters should be referred to the Durhiamn Regional Police. Any one who lias any t raffic problemis on 1-ligli way 7 and I12 should caîl Ilie OPP at 668-3388. Staff Sergeant Mackey says thal 1ligiw,-iys 7 and 12 are a &"4very well travelled area", but il will take about six mionths to find oiwhiat the trafric flow is like. So far, siiîce Jan. 1, there hiave been f'?w accidents on these roads. lui regard to Highway 401, Staff Sergeant Mackey says the Whitby- detachmcent lias the heaviest volume of îraffic in Ontario, on this highway, next ' to the Downsview detachnient whicli covers the Toronto area. The proposed widening of the highiway froni Church Street in Pickering through to Oshawa will be a benefit to the OPP, he says, because the road is outdated for the arnount of traffic il carrnes. There is much congestion where the three lanes each way become, two lanes at Church Street, usually on Friday nighits, he says. "Il should really help us out when the three lanes are extended past Oshawa". On Friclays, in the sumnmer, eastbound traffie is stop and go past the. Whitby OPP office, and on Sundays the sainie thing occurs in the west- bound lanes, says Sta ff Sergeant Mackey. The Wlitby detachnient investigates about 80 accidents a nionth on Higlîway 401, and for the whole detachnîent alrea, winich incluLtes part of llighiWays 7A and 47 iii Scugog as well as -ighiway I12, thero is an average of 1 ,200 Lu 1 ,300 accidents a yoar. lu 1975 thore were 18 f.atal accidlen ts, 420 porsonal injury accidents and 82ý5 propo rty cdaniage accidents. SEAT BELIS Trhe newOn tarno logîsl t ion rcquining use of' sca t. bel (s caîîîe mb o ffect Jan. I1, and the OPP oflicers have beon issuing warnings bu rnotorists, but after Fob. 1 , charges with a iiiiiîîii fine of $28 caîî be laid. "We have1 not received aîîy instructions on charging yet", and any warnings issued have been the result of 'Cars being pulled oveor for otiier infractions. Staff Sergeant Mackey says Iliat by' the end of January he -should have statistics on how many people use seat belts, but so far it looks as if about 50 per cent of the rnotorists observed by his officers are using theni. Since Jan. 1, the OPP officers of the Whitby detach- ment have issued about 50 warnings. I doîî't personally mmnd wearing a seat belt", says Staff Sergeant Mackey, I neyer did wear one before, but 1 have been weaning it and 1 don't find il particularly uncomfortable. It's sonie- thing you have 10 get used to". Staff Sergeant MackAy believes that a seat belt is a benefit in an accident to a point, "but anythîing at a specd over 60 miles per hour, 1 don't think seat belts would do any good because the impact would be too greuýt. Below 60,you have a chance". SPEED LIMITS Staff Sergeant Mackèy's views on- speed limnits appear lu coincide with those of the provincial governmiient, for as of Fcb. 1 , the speed on llighway 401 will bc rcduced to 60 fromi 70 miles per hour and the speed on I ighiways 7 and 1 2 wilI bc reduccd Lu 50 froin 60) miles per hour. The law cornes mb oclifect Mien the new signs are posted 0o1 Monday Feb. 2. ."We plan strict enforce- ment of-this law", says Staff Sergeant Mackey, wl{6 has indicated there wiIl be increased radar surveilence on Highway 401 and there will be radar spotted on Highways 12 and 7. The penalties for speeding wili not change froni the existing fines, which are set by the courts. Staff Sergeant Mackay believes that speed' limit reduction will reduce the numnber and severity of accidents. "The lower the speed, the Iess impact you have", he says. About 500 to 600 people a month are currently being charged with speeding offences by the Whitby OPP detach- ment, because of the heavy volume of traffic he says. The Whitby OPP detach- ment has a supervisory staff of one staff sergeant, a sergeant, and five corporals, and there are 37 uniformied officers who patrol the detachment in 1 2 cruisers. The detachmient is divided Constable Kirk Dupre, of the Whitby OPP detacbment puts on bis seat belt before going on patrol on Higbway 401. The Ontario Provincial Police are responsible for enforcing the new Ontario seat belt Iaw which came into effect Jan. 1. So far, drivers on provincial highways 'I:Ive been warned if they are flot wearing seat beits, but fines can be levied after Feb. 1. Free Press Photo into tïve zones. Zones one and two are Highway 401 east and west ot Harwood Ave. in Ajax; zone three is Ilighways 12 and 7 in Whitby, north of Manchester; zone four is Port Perry and zone flive is Highways 7A, 12 and 47 nortlî from Manchester to the Scugog-Brock town line. For the past four years, the 01-'? las maintained a boat patrol on Lake Scugog, operated by three officers during the summer monîlis. - The Whitby Detacliment of the Q.PP was established in 1950 in a bouse on Gilbert Street near the Registry Office, and in 1959 moved mbt its present lîeadquarters at Henry Street and Highway 401. FAMILY SPECIALO When you buy aThrift Box atthe * hl hik at heregular price Of $4.25, youget Klt4uck9 Fried Ckickrn.t, Colonel Sanders and his boys make il .finger 1iokin' good OVER 100 LOCATIONS IN ONTARIO-SEE VOUR PHONE BOOK FOR THE'ONE NEAREST YOU. This brick building on dhe soutli side of Fighiwny 401 at Henry 'Street is the hieadquatrters of the Whitby Dtcnn of the OnjtajîO Provincil Police. Ihie OPP are resp<)nsil)le for patrolling provinciail liighiwtys. anmd for eriminal investigations ini Scugog Towniship. They aldso opcratc a p:ltr(>1 l)oat on Like Scugog. Free Press Photo f Operate In Top iMIIMTNC Form.. Whatevcr forms you need for your business. . . bis, ledgers, labels, work sheets, envelopes, letterheads, file cards ... count on us for expert help. We'1l be happy to give you suggestions. M.B.M. Publishing & PIotography Inc. 121 Brock St. N. Whitby 668-6111 THRIFT BOX ri