Murphy police report increases in calls and arrests; council allows educational campaign and signage to curb illegal left turns at PSA

Murphy City Council on May 6 heard a quarterly statistics briefing from the Murphy Police Department showing increases in calls for service, traffic stops and arrests compared with the same period last year. The department also asked for the council’s support to launch a public-education campaign and install no-left-turn signs at the PSA (athletic center) exits to prevent left turns onto southbound Murphy Drive.

Investigator Gilbert told council a “call for service is anything that we do where we tell dispatch we’re doing something,” and that calls increased by about 700 over the January–March quarter compared with the previous year. Gilbert said there were about 2,000 traffic stops in the quarter, 527 citations and 47 arrests originating from traffic stops; overall arrests for the quarter rose to 100 from 62 the prior year, in part because of a targeted warrant campaign that resulted in 20 arrests in a single day.

The presentation included traffic safety concerns at the PSA driveway. Chief Jeff Gibson explained city staff and police have observed drivers turning left from the PSA parking exits onto southbound Murphy Drive at a location that was not designed or striped as a left-turn lane. “How we have not had a serious accident here is beyond me,” Gibson said, and asked for council support to “take a proactive approach and stop it before it happens.” The department proposed a 4–6 week public-education period with a social-media push, signage and flyers for visiting users, followed by a two-week period of warnings from officers and later enforcement if unsafe turning persists.

Council members did not object when staff requested direction to proceed; Mayor and council indicated no member wished to block the plan, and staff said they would implement the initial education phase and return with a formal action item and additional options (including physical lane changes) for later council consideration. Investigator Gilbert described the near-term measures staff will deploy: place “No Left Turn” signs in the center median and at the PSA driveway exit, publish messages on the city marquee and social media, distribute flyers to PSA users, and conduct targeted traffic enforcement focused on warnings for 4–6 weeks before issuing citations.

Police also reported a fall in total crashes year-over-year in the quarter but an increase in major accidents in recent weeks, an increase in drug intoxication offenses (from 16 to 28, largely driven by THC vape pens), and a rise in fraud reports taken by the department. Officer Gilbert said alarm-call volume remains high and staff are contacting businesses to reduce false alarms that strain resources.

The council’s direction was procedural rather than a formal ordinance: staff said they will proceed with the education campaign and signage and will bring a formal action item back for council debate and possible approval of further measures. Council members asked for follow-up reporting on outcomes and timelines.

The department said visitors driving from neighboring cities (Plano, Richardson, Allen) frequently use PSA and that the education campaign aims to give nonresident users clear notice before enforcement begins.

Looking ahead, police told council they will start public education immediately if staff have sign-permit authority and will seek formal council action on any capital or physical roadway changes at a subsequent meeting.