Ogden police seek authority to enforce state traffic laws on school property; council to consider amendment next week

Ogden police and school-resource officers have asked the City Council to amend municipal code Title 10 so officers can enforce traffic and related safety laws on school campus property, the police chief said at the Aug. 19 joint work session. The change would extend the city’s ability to stop vehicles and address moving violations, license and insurance violations, and other traffic offenses when they occur on school district property. The police chief said the school district’s board has already endorsed the amendment, and the city will consider the ordinance at the next council meeting. Officials described the approach as “education first,” with officers using the authority to stop vehicles for interventions and referrals to school administrators rather than turning immediately to citations. Police described repeated near-miss incidents and crashes inside school parking lots in the past school year and said SROs currently lack clear legal authority to stop drivers for risky behavior that falls short of criminal-level reckless driving. Officials said the amendment would let an SRO or responding officer stop a vehicle on campus, intervene before the driver reaches public roadways, and work with school administrators to pursue disciplinary options when appropriate. Officials said the change also aims to give SROs a mechanism to identify nonstudents or other drivers who come onto school grounds and operate vehicles recklessly. The police chief said the city expects an educational emphasis at first and that the authority could be used selectively for more serious or repeated violations and to enable other officers, including the traffic unit, to assist when necessary. The work session produced no vote; a council member said the ordinance will appear on the agenda next week for consideration.