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Trophy Club police cite low average speeds in radar trailer data, expand cameras and community programs
Summary
Police staff reported results from a new radar trailer showing average speeds below 30 mph at tested locations, outlined a townwide camera rollout (77 cameras), said school resource officer coverage remains in place, and described revived community programs including home security inspections and a “take‑home” Silver Alert enrollment of about 14.
Patrick, a police department staff member, told the committee on public safety that a recently purchased radar trailer is giving the department detailed data on traffic flows and will guide targeted enforcement and education.
The radar trailer “tells us everything we wanna know,” Patrick said, listing counts, speeds and time-of-day breakdowns. He said the device has shown average speeds below 30 mph at every tested location; on Trophy Park Drive the trailer recorded an average speed of 26 mph during a six- to eight‑hour deployment. The trailer logged about 680 cars during that sample, with “three or four” vehicles recorded at speeds in the 40s, Patrick said.
Why it matters: the device’s half-hour breakdowns let staff decide when to place officers for enforcement and when to rely on warnings or education. Patrick said the radar trailer will remain in each location for days up to a week to establish weekly patterns before the working group makes recommendations to the council.
The committee heard additional police updates covering surveillance, school safety and community programs. Patrick said the town is deploying a cloud‑based camera system that will include parks, concession stands, athletic fields, the Veterans Memorial Park and the pool. “Totally, all the ones that are being done are 77 cameras,” he said, adding that about 40 are inside the municipal building and “about 30” are being put around town. He said cloud retention could run up to a year depending on the agreement.
On enforcement tools and evidence, Patrick said the current radar-trailer camera is intended more for theft deterrence than for issuing speeding citations; it can capture images but may not reliably record license plates. He noted the department has previously received dash‑cam video from residents and used those clips to send warning letters to vehicle owners.
School safety and community programs were also part of the update. Patrick said the town continues to staff officers in schools: “we have 2 at the high school and 1 at the middle school,” and that the town supplements those positions with an officer from Roanoke who “actually reports to us.” He said the four schools together have “almost 4,200 kids,” a figure he presented to illustrate demand on SRO coverage and school security resources.
Patrick said the department restarted a home security inspection program (officers visit homes, advise on landscaping and camera placement, and can arrange to include resident video in a secure system) and resumed a confidential “take-home” program for residents who are at risk of becoming lost (described in the meeting as a take‑home Silver Alert program). He said about 14 people are currently enrolled in that take‑home program.
On budgeting and next steps, Patrick told the committee the next meeting will begin budget discussions. He said the safety program budget has been roughly consistent at about $360,000 over the last two years and that staff will present possible numbers and proposals at the next meeting.
The update was presented as information; no policy changes were proposed and no formal council action on the radar trailer or camera purchases was recorded in the transcript. Committee members discussed program details and asked clarifying questions during the presentation.
