Belmont Police Start School Zone Speed Crackdown

In a swift four-hour sweep, police wrote 33 tickets near Belmont schools. The push targets fast drivers in school areas as students return to North Carolina classrooms.

"Our population almost doubles daily with commuters coming from Charlotte," Sgt. Kevin Wingate of the Belmont Police Department told WCNC Charlotte.

Officers watch for three main issues: fast drivers, stop sign violations, and walker safety. They picked spots based on where people often call about reckless driving.

One stop turned up a driver racing at 49 mph: nearly twice the school zone limit. The situation got worse. "Nothing on the vehicle was legal, occupants in the vehicle, no one had a license and no insurance, speed violations," Wingate said.

The sheer number of stops stunned the patrol team. Not one officer expected to stop so many drivers in such a short time.

While visiting Belmont, parent Cameron Morris shared thoughts on school safety. "Since becoming a parent, I'm more aware. Just put yourself in somebody else's shoes, we all have somewhere to go," Morris said.

Police presence makes streets safer. "The biggest thing is presence, just being here will slow people down, not every stop requires a citation," Wingate said.

This push comes as traffic swells in Belmont. New residents plus Charlotte commuters pack the streets more than ever.

Soon, data from the first two weeks will show patterns of traffic violations across town.