The Chesterfield Township Department of Public Safety launched a new program on Saturday, April 29, 2023, called Please Stop Me, a new community program that provides a safe environment for teen drivers to experience a traffic stop.
The Please Stop Me program allows for new/teen drivers to get pulled over in a safe and controlled environment to experience how to handle being pulled over by a police officer. The new/teen drivers are with a parent and in their own vehicle for this mock traffic stop, and are instructed as to what documents the officer needs to see, how to respond, etc.
“Being stopped by the police is stressful for anyone. We want to work with our new drivers and help them understand what is happening and why. The feedback we received has been positive from both the new drivers and their parents. We look forward to offering this program again in the future,” said Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police Brian Bassett.
This program is available to high school students with a valid driver’s license or driving permit who live in the Chesterfield Township area. Participants in the program must bring their license or permit, vehicle registration, proof of insurance, and a parent or legal guardian with identification.
On April 29th, we had 14 new/teen drivers participate in the event, along with their parent, and three traffic officers pulled them over for running through a stop sign. The event was well received by everyone involved. A second Please Stop Me event will be planned for the fall.
