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Date: 10/17/2023
HADLEY — School buses carrying students to class have had some company during the last few weeks, police cars.
Following observations and complaints by parents of motorists going around stopped school buses as they picked up and dropped off students, officers were dispatched to escort buses on some routes as they ferried children to and from school.
According to Police Chief Michael Mason, police patrol vehicles have been tasked with accompanying school buses on their routes to ensure safe travels in response to recent occurrences of seemingly impatient motorists, going around the flashing lights of school buses picking up and dropping off students in the area.
“We have expanded our patrols, when available, and officers are randomly selecting school bus routes to follow during pick-up and during drop-off,” Mason said in response to an inquiry. “We have added extra coverage for officers to stay a little longer after their night shift and officers to come in a bit early before their evening shift to help day shift officers with these tasks.”
In recent weeks, officers have stopped and cited several drivers who go around the buses and their emergency lights. Some of the evidence of drivers failing to adhere to the bus notifications was captured on video by parents and forwarded to officers.
Mason said that as a result, police have been responding and acting on those complaints.
“With Route 9 construction in full swing, we have been seeing thousands of vehicles, understandably, trying to find any way around those areas and thus we are getting all manner of traffic complaints from some of our less-traveled neighborhoods,” Mason said. “This has included traffic in and around our local bus routes. Unfortunately, we have received complaints of people passing school buses during travel and even with lights activated and actively picking up or dropping off students.”
Many parents of Hadley students have taken to social media to express their appreciation for the police enforcement as the problem of stopped buses being ignored or passed is becoming a regular problem.
“Hadley residents are starting to keep their phones on video while at the bus stop,” wrote one resident.
Another community member said they observed the police officer’s enforcement of the traffic laws firsthand.
“I saw three Hadley school buses this morning and each one was followed by a police car!” They wrote on Facebook. “Thank you, Hadley Police, for keeping our kids safe!!”
While officers seem to be addressing current complaints, Mason said the enforcement is not necessarily something new.
“Over the last several years we have had our officers assist at each school due to the volume of traffic in those areas and the fact that Hopkins, the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School and Hadley Elementary are located on heavily traveled roadways,” he said.
Hadley School Superintendent Anne McKenzie offered her appreciation for the Police Department’s response to the concerns of the community.
“We enjoy and appreciate a strong and positive relationship with public safety, which contributes greatly to the safety of our students, staff, and community,” she said.
Mason, meanwhile, indicated the attention and enforcement will continue as needed.
“We have been lucky to have an amazing relationship with our schools and this is something that has been communicated to us that would be helpful and increase safety for the students. The officers have been more than happy to assist and they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future,” Mason said.