Guidelines for Utilization of Police Officers in Traffic Control and Enforcement on Urban Freeways

This report presents general guidelines for the use of uniformed police officers in highway maintenance, construction, and other traffic management activities, such as incident management and the operation of high-occupancy vehicle facilities. The guidelines distinguish between “traffic control” and “enforcement” roles for uniformed police officers. The traffic control and enforcement guidelines are discussed in terms of: 1) Objectives of using uniformed police officers; 2) Requirements for implementing the guidelines; and 3) Measuring the effectiveness of the guidelines. Example set-ups of possible applications of the guidelines are given for illustrative purposes. The report also discusses key issues which may need to be resolved if the guidelines are to be disseminated and implemented. Due to the large number of variables, site characteristics, and transportation agencies involved, the guidelines presented in this report are necessarily broad and general in nature. However, the report outlines some general recommendations regarding procedures for reviewing and refining the guidelines for possible adoption, dissemination, and implementation by the those agencies responsible for enforcement and traffic control activities on our highway systems.