By PAULENE POPARAD

Petitions bearing more than 500 signatures were sent to state highway officials recently urging them to make safety improvements at the U.S. 20 intersection at Waverly Road in Porter.

Even more signatures were generated but those pages were lost at the business where they were collected, said Porter Metropolitan Police Commission member Karen Pisowicz on Tuesday.

A cover letter was sent to the Indiana Department of Transportation from Porter Police Chief James Spanier; he urged INDOT to provide left-turn lanes and a dedicated turn signal because the town “strongly believes this intersection to be extremely dangerous for all who use it.”

Spanier added, “The amount of serious accidents occurring at this intersection, coupled with the fact that the vast majority are caused by a vehicle turning left, leads us to believe that turn lanes may make the difference in making the intersection safer.”

Asked commission member Linda Hodges, “Should we send a follow-up (letter) down the road? Do they answer?” Spanier said yes, but it hasn’t been the answer Porter wants to hear.

For more than a year the Police Commission has been lobbying INDOT to upgrade the Waverly/U.S. 20 traffic signal. At one time the commission wanted each direction of traffic to proceed through the intersection independently, although the left-turn lanes were always sought as the best solution.

Spanier said so far there’s been no reaction from INDOT but he anticipates hearing something by the April 17 commission meeting.

In other business, the commission received the current six-page town ordinance regulating all transient or itinerant merchants, commercial solicitors, peddlers and hawkers. President Bill Donley asked members to review the ordinance and be prepared to discuss it next month.

Spanier announced that Det. Mike Veal recently attended a voice-stress analysis school, and that Det. Jason Casbon is scheduled to attend a class on how to interview child victims without using leading questions.

The February activity report was released showing 448 total police calls, which historically will rise again as do the temperatures, said Spanier. Eleven misdemeanor arrests were made but the felony arrests weren’t included; Spanier said the department’s problematic software is supposed to be fixed as of April 1.

Officers made 75 traffic stops last month resulting in 18 citations, 19 verbal warnings and 54 written warnings. Operating while intoxicated arrests totaled two, and there were one each recovered stolen plate, stolen vehicle and traffic accident investigation. Police did seven VIN checks and assisted at four lockouts.

Crimes were four thefts, three property damage, two warrant service and one each for battery, burglary, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, disturbance, harassment, invasion of privacy, liquor offense, rape and threats. Seven alarms were for business and one a residence. Sixty-two business checks were made and of 39 calls to emergency 911, 10 were misdials.

There were six animal control calls, 58 assists to other departments, four assists to other jurisdictions, 12 citizen assists, and one each attempted suicide, civil matter, found property, juvenile, missing person and suspicious circumstance.

Police vehicles traveled 10,997 miles on-duty and 836 off-duty in February.

Posted 3/21/2007