Paducah PD Suspends Traffic Enforcement Division

The Paducah Police Department is suspending its traffic enforcement division, with officials citing a staff shortage as the reason. 

Paducah Police Spokeswoman Robin Newberry told West Kentucky Star that due to four officers retiring at the end of this month, and one resignation from an officer that is moving out of state, the city has too many vacancies to keep the division operational at this time.  Traffic laws will still be enforced, but it will now be the responsibility of all officers, instead of the traffic enforcement division.

Newberry says Paducah Police Chief Brandon Barnhill brought the unit back from a 15-year hiatus about a year and a half ago.  During that time,  she says the city saw crashes go down by double digits in some areas. 

Newberry says it is the Police Department's intention to bring back the traffic enforcement division once the vacancies have been filled.