BY JANE PRENDERGAST
The Cincinnati Enquirer
INDEPENDENCE -- Northern Kentucky drivers will feel more of a police presence on interstates 75 and 275 by later this summer.
The Kenton County Police Department has committed to spending 16 hours a day on the highways as soon as several officers graduate from training programs and start to work patrol.
The Kenton Fiscal Court approved the hiring of two more officers, with their focus to be more trolling for speeders, drunken drivers and other problems on the interstates.
The 16 hours a day, a goal the department plans to work toward gradually, will be a jump over the current estimate of 20 hours a week officers spend there now.
"So it's a significant increase," said Chief Mike Browning. The department did some research to figure out what hours would be best for the new officers to patrol, he said. Based upon the results, the chief said the patrols likely will take place late at night and early in the morning.
Abandoned or broken-down vehicles will be tagged at night, for example, and then towed in the morning to be sure they're gone by rush hour, he said.
"Common sense would tell you that you'd want to be ready for rush hour," Chief Browning said, "but we have proof of it now." The extra patrols also will help handle enforcement of the ongoing truck ban and help with problems that stem from the construction of the new Dixie Highway interchange.
The two hires will bring the department's total to 35. Two more dispatchers, for a total of 16, also are being hired.
