By Julie Straw - bio | email | twitter
BYRAM, MS (WLBT) - About 30,000 cars travel on Siwell Road in Byram every day. The wear and tear to the street is obvious and driving can be dangerous.
"They're going kind of fast on the road you can barely get out at times, but the police are making the rounds now. I see they are out in full force," said Domekia Harrison who drives Siwell Road every week day.
Byram Police Chief Luke Thompson was getting his officers out on the streets to ward off criminals and slow speeders.
"We went a couple months where it was real friendly and "hey, we caught you speeding please slow down." Now we have a few officers out on the road during the day issuing traffic citations," said Chief Thompson.
Drivers were also noticing new speed limit signs posted along the entire stretch of Siwell Road.
Radar is used by Byram Police officers. Residents never had to think about their speed caught on radar while under the watch of the Hinds County Sheriff's deputies. Law prohibits sheriffs departments to use radar.
"We started pulling people over and asking them what the speed limit was. People didn't know. I started looking and there weren't a lot of speed limit signs," said Chief Thompson. "We're making sure that people have ample opportunity to know what the speed limit is."
Most residents we spoke with call it a welcome change, but not everyone is happy.
"On Siwell Road the radar has been so bad. You know what? If you are in a hurry you better slow down or you're going to get a ticket," said Byram resident Doug Holmes.
The Byram Police Department will have 25 sworn in officers. The department will take over full law enforcement duties from the Sheriff's Department beginning June 1, 2011.
©2011 WLBT. All rights reserved.
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
