Florence PD fosters law enforcement partnerships, encourages safe driving
Drivers passing through Florence last Thursday may have noticed an increased law enforcement presence patrolling the streets.
Tahoes from the Florence Police Department, Williamson County Constable Precinct 3, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, and Texas Department of Public Safety patrolled the city and surrounding county roads with one goal in mind: enforcing traffic safety ahead of summer break.
In a five-agency partnership, the Florence Police Department launched its “Operation Safe Start” initiative, May 29. The initiative marked the first time FPD worked with other agencies on an effort like this.
“Florence is a great place to gather,” said Wayne Thompson, Florence police chief. “We have been doing some relationship rebuilding over the course of the last few years. We want y’all to know who we are, and we want everyone to work together.”
The initiative aimed to ensure traffic safety through increased enforcement during the last day of school for Florence ISD. Chief Thompson said young drivers tend “to do crazy things when school gets out.” However, FPD is restricted to the city limits only.
Stretching from Georgetown to Killeen, Florence ISD serves more than 1,150 students and covers about 108 square miles. Utilizing the other agencies, FDP can enforce traffic safety outside the city limits.
The operation ran from 12:30-10 p.m. Officers from the Texas Game Wardens joined the team in the evening. Officers focused on State Highway 195, State Highway 138, Farm to Market 970, Farm to Market 226, Farm to Market 240 and Farm to Market 487.
Kevin Wilkie — the newly elected Precinct Three Constable, which the City of Florence is a part of — said the initiative is a display of “community support.”
“I think it’s important,” he said. “It’s showing community support, and the most important thing is the citizens in our community, and the people that travel through. We’re very active in this precinct and so we're very happy to be able to partner with the other.”
With revved engines and clicking radios, the team logged a variety of offenses, mostly speeding on SH 195, along with the occasional expired registration and one traffic hazard. An overtime dispatcher from the county coordinated the operation on a private radio channel.
Chief Thompson said there will be another event like this initiative soon. In the meantime, FPD is focused on building and maintaining relationships with community partners.
“We want this to feel like home,” he said to the team during a morning debrief before the initiative. “We’ve always extended that to you. Need a place to put down a laptop or something? You can do it here.”