Less Tickets in Hendersonville

You may have noticed (or not) that you are much less likely to get a speeding ticket in Hendersonville in 2011 than you were in 2010. Reports indicate that traffic court revenue is down by about $100,000 a month since January of 2011. It's not because Hendersonville residents are doing less speeding. It is because of a change in police practice. A previous practice of intense road patrols and ticket writing has been replaced by a practice of neighborhood policing. That is, you are far more likely to see police cars driving through your subdivision than you were in the past.

The new policy is part of the new chief's plan to reduce the number of burglaries -- Hendersonville has a lot of burglaries (NOT armed robbery) -- but burglaries where young people break-in to homes and steal stuff. The idea is that with cops in the neighborhood, kids will be less likely to break into homes. Of course, if those officers catch you speeding in the neighborhood, you'll be ticketed. But tickets on the main roads (Gallatin Rd, especially) are far less likely now.

Later data should reveal whether this policy has been effective at reducing the number of burglaries and keeping Hendersonville homes and families safer.