Rochester traffic stops plummet by 95% amid COVID-19 pandemic

Rochester continues to make traffic stops, but not as many as prepandemic levels. The photo is not from a local police department. (Blue Sheepdog photo)

ROCHESTER - Traffic stops by Rochester Police are down 95 percent over prepandemic levels, but if police see an infraction, especially a major one, they will pull you over, a police spokesman said on Thursday.

In February Rochester Police carried out 612 traffic stops for vehicle infractions, which included 551 warnings. The remainder were either summonsed or arrested, Rochester Public spokesman Todd Pinkham said.

Compare that to April when Rochester Police pulled over just 32 vehicles, which included 21 warnings and 11 operators who were either summonsed or arrested.

Pinkham said it was a combination of fewer vehicles on the road due to travel and Stay at Home restrictions tied to COVID-19 as well as officer discretion.

"We're kind of responding to what we're seeing with a reduction in operations and travel limitations," Pinkham said. "As things begin to increase we expect to see traffic stops increase, too."

He said with better weather and the state slowly flexing open, that's already starting to happen, with 100 more traffic stops than last month.

Pinkham acknowledged that with fewer vehicles on the roads it may have led to more opportunities for motorists to speed, but there's no way to prove that.

Rochester cruisers regularly deploy extra details to accident hot spots like Little Falls Road near Chestnut Hill Road to monitor vehicle speeds and safety.