FAQs • Suffolk, VA • CivicEngage

What happens when I call in a reckless driver or DUI driver to the police?: Upon receiving a call from a citizen about one of these drivers our emergency communications operators will send the first available unit to the area. Please stay on the phone so that our officers will have a current update as to the location of the vehicle. The unit will travel to that area and attempt to locate the driver.

It is important to remember that due to distance and speeds the officers are sometimes unable to catch up to the driver before the caller loses sight of the vehicle or they enter another jurisdiction. If the vehicle is located, the responding officer will follow the vehicle and look for violations of law or actions indicative of someone operating under the influence and then make the traffic stop.

If the officer conducts a traffic stop on the recklessly driving vehicle and requests that you stop as well, please pull over far behind the officer's vehicle. Do not approach the traffic stop scene and if still on the phone with our 911 center, you should identify the type and color of the car you are driving. One of the officers on scene will approach you and obtain the necessary information to complete the police action.

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Police - Traffic Enforcement

1. What happens when I make a speeding complaint in my neighborhood?: Speeding complaints are addressed within the precincts they occur. Precinct Commanders may use our newly purchased speed trailer to collect data for 24 hours. If speeding is identified as a problem, based on data collected, a speed enforcement detail will likely be established for the next 30 days.

At the conclusion of the 30 days the results will be examined to note the speeds captured by radar, summons issued, and time dedicated to the area. Upon that examination the Precinct Commander will determine if further enforcement is needed or not and if other city agencies should be involved such as Traffic Engineering. Upon conclusion of the detail the Precinct Commander will contact the citizen with the concern and make them aware of the findings.

2. What happens when I call in a reckless driver or DUI driver to the police?: Upon receiving a call from a citizen about one of these drivers our emergency communications operators will send the first available unit to the area. Please stay on the phone so that our officers will have a current update as to the location of the vehicle. The unit will travel to that area and attempt to locate the driver.

It is important to remember that due to distance and speeds the officers are sometimes unable to catch up to the driver before the caller loses sight of the vehicle or they enter another jurisdiction. If the vehicle is located, the responding officer will follow the vehicle and look for violations of law or actions indicative of someone operating under the influence and then make the traffic stop.

If the officer conducts a traffic stop on the recklessly driving vehicle and requests that you stop as well, please pull over far behind the officer's vehicle. Do not approach the traffic stop scene and if still on the phone with our 911 center, you should identify the type and color of the car you are driving. One of the officers on scene will approach you and obtain the necessary information to complete the police action.