Bardstown police department creates new position to tackle traffic issues in the city

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The Bardstown Police Department does not have a traffic unit, but it’s now dedicating one officer to try and tackle the city’s road problems.Department data shows that between 2018 and 2022, there were 5,416 accidents in Nelson County, with 76% of those occurring within Bardstown city limits.The department also has numerous traffic-related complaints from community members and tourists that include potholes, faulty traffic signs, pedestrian safety, and speeding.“Honestly, I’ve had three staff members park their vehicles out front that have been sideswiped, or people have hit their cars and almost pushed into the building,” said Chuck Wood, the manager of Talbott Tavern.Talbott Tavern is in the heart of Bardstown, and Wood says many crashes happen at the roundabout in Court Square.“I don’t even know how many times they’ve replaced that center sign, so it can only help to have somebody regulating this,” he said.While traffic concerns are regular duties of every patrol officer, the Bardstown PD assistant chief says one officer will now zero in on the city’s problems and solutions full time.“We have been wanting to implement a full-time traffic position for a long time, it just takes a while to get there as an agency as you grow, and we’ve been afforded that opportunity now,” said Major Joe Seelye.In addition to engineering potential hazards on the roadway, the officer will be tasked with educating drivers on best safety practices and enforcing the rules of the road.“Sometimes, when it comes to traffic, it’s one of those public safety issues that isn’t really important until you’re the one that ends up in an injury crash,” said Maj. Seelye. “Nobody’s perfect in this, but just looking for accountability, use your turn signal, be good stewards of the roadway.”The new traffic officer will also work closely with the department’s narcotics unit to intercept any drugs that may be moving through the area.“This interdiction piece will be looking for bulk narcotics that may come through tractor trailers, RV’s, whatever it may be,” said Maj. Seelye. “We’ll send the officer to train and learn that, but he came from a narcotics background already with LMPD.”Many Bardstown residents and businesses are reacting positively to the safety effort and are eager to see if it will yield positive results. “They have the city in mind when they make implementations like this, and I think it can only do good,” said Wood.Bardstown police hired internally to fill the new role and say being fully staffed helped implement it quickly.

The Bardstown Police Department does not have a traffic unit, but it’s now dedicating one officer to try and tackle the city’s road problems.

Department data shows that between 2018 and 2022, there were 5,416 accidents in Nelson County, with 76% of those occurring within Bardstown city limits.

The department also has numerous traffic-related complaints from community members and tourists that include potholes, faulty traffic signs, pedestrian safety, and speeding.

“Honestly, I’ve had three staff members park their vehicles out front that have been sideswiped, or people have hit their cars and almost pushed into the building,” said Chuck Wood, the manager of Talbott Tavern.

Talbott Tavern is in the heart of Bardstown, and Wood says many crashes happen at the roundabout in Court Square.

“I don’t even know how many times they’ve replaced that center sign, so it can only help to have somebody regulating this,” he said.

While traffic concerns are regular duties of every patrol officer, the Bardstown PD assistant chief says one officer will now zero in on the city’s problems and solutions full time.

“We have been wanting to implement a full-time traffic position for a long time, it just takes a while to get there as an agency as you grow, and we’ve been afforded that opportunity now,” said Major Joe Seelye.

In addition to engineering potential hazards on the roadway, the officer will be tasked with educating drivers on best safety practices and enforcing the rules of the road.

“Sometimes, when it comes to traffic, it’s one of those public safety issues that isn’t really important until you’re the one that ends up in an injury crash,” said Maj. Seelye. “Nobody’s perfect in this, but just looking for accountability, use your turn signal, be good stewards of the roadway.”

The new traffic officer will also work closely with the department’s narcotics unit to intercept any drugs that may be moving through the area.

“This interdiction piece will be looking for bulk narcotics that may come through tractor trailers, RV’s, whatever it may be,” said Maj. Seelye. “We’ll send the officer to train and learn that, but he came from a narcotics background already with LMPD.”

Many Bardstown residents and businesses are reacting positively to the safety effort and are eager to see if it will yield positive results.

“They have the city in mind when they make implementations like this, and I think it can only do good,” said Wood.

Bardstown police hired internally to fill the new role and say being fully staffed helped implement it quickly.

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