mesa cops cracking down on dangerous and deadly jaywalkers. Original Article Mesa police crack down on speeders, red-light runners By Mike Branom, Tribune October 25, 2005 Mesa police say theyve practically begged motorists and pedestrians to be careful on the citys streets, but to no avail. Now theyre hoping to catch peoples attention with a blizzard of citations. Prompted by a record number of traffic fatalities, a special traffic enforcement squad is cracking down on speeders, red-light runners and jaywalkers. Working every weekday since Oct. 3, the four-man unit has issued 1,023 tickets for 1,457 violations. If that seems like a lot, measure against this statistic: 57 people have died on Mesa streets and roads this year, topping the record 39 traffic deaths in 1996. And theres still two months remaining in 2005. So, police are hoping their safety message will sink in because of another number the cost of paying the ticket or taking a drivers education class. "When you attach a fine to a citation, I think it gets peoples attention," said Lt. Ben Kulina, who heads the departments traffic unit. The enforcement efforts, due to continue indefinitely, are taking place across the city, just as the 54 fatal crashes did. "If there was a particular intersection or a particular area and I was able to put all my resources there, I would," Kulina said. "Unfortunately, this year theyre everywhere." Contact Mike Branom by email, or phone (480) 898-6536