Speed trap stalls; laser gun runs out of battery power

Police recently stepped up speed enforcement on the major highways through Cedar Rapids, but technology briefly got in the way Thursday.

The laser speed gun an officer was operating from the Glass Road overpass ran out of batteries late in the morning, which stalled the enforcement project.

Capt. Steve O'Konek said officers have used the laser speed guns to pick out speeders on Interstate 380, Highway 30 and Highway 100 in recent weeks.

“We're getting a lot of complaints of people speeding on the interstate north of downtown and south of downtown,” O'Konek said. “They're slowing down on the S-curve when they get to the cameras, which is exactly what we want them to do, but then they're speeding up again.”

Capt. Tom Jonker said enforcement ebbs and flows depending on the resources available and the number of complaints about speeders. More officers were on the day shift Thursday, making it possible to do the enforcement projects without sacrificing police presence in other areas, he said.

Regular patrols, unmarked cars and the laser and radar guns are being used, along with the newly installed speed cameras. The newer laser guns are better equipped to pick out speeding cars among a group, O'Konek said.

“People need to get the hint that the police department is serious about slowing people down on the interstate,” O'Konek said.