News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

'Operation Peek-A-Boo': High-tech tools help Sheriff's Office bust beltless truck drivers

Posted: Sept. 14, 2008 8:16 p.m.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Traffic Team is using high-tech new tools to make sure commercial truck drivers wear their seat belts.

Traffic Team Sgt. John Naccarato was looking an innovative way to enforce the "Be Ready, Be Buckled" campaign.

"Studies show that only 65 percent of commercial motor vehicle drivers wear seat belts," said Naccarato. "Why? They sit too high in their trucks. It's hard for police to see inside the cabs -- and the truck drivers know that."

That's when Sgt. Naccarato had an idea: "One night, I woke up at 4 in the morning and said, 'I know how to see in!'"

His solution? A digital "eye in the sky."

Naccarato stations himself on an overpass with a high-speed digital camera -- a pro-grade Canon EOS 1D Mark III capable of shooting 10 frames a second. "With this camera, I can take crystal-clear photos of trucks driving 60 miles per hour from 600 feet away," he says. "The camera can handle auto-focusing and -tracking, and I use a polarizing filter for window glare."

With a clear vantage point on truck cabs, Sgt. Naccarato takes digital pictures of drivers not wearing seat belts. Then, using a portable WiFi "hotspot" carried in a suitcase and Bluetooth technology in the camera, the deputy can transmit the photos directly from the camera to a Web site. Patrol deputies on the lower freeway level can then download these photos directly to their PDAs or iPhones -- giving them digital proof the driver was breaking the law.

"When they pull the truck driver over," says Naccarato, "the deputy can say, 'You weren't wearing your seatbelt.' If the driver says, 'Prove it!,' we can literally hold up a PDA and show them the photo."

Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts says he's "a huge fan" of the new enforcement technology. "It's very innovative," he says. "The Traffic Team is always looking for high-tech solutions. Now we can enforce laws that were tough to enforce before. John's done some remarkable research on this technology."

High-tech prep

Naccarato has earned a reputation for embracing high-tech solutions: The Sheriff's Office Traffic Team won several awards in 2006 for their pioneering use of electronic ticketing and other portable devices that allow them to do their jobs faster -- with less paperwork and processing time. CCSO motorcycle deputies carry Blackberries and thermal printers in the field to streamline the ticketing process.

"We tested different lenses and camera bodies to find something that worked for this new campaign," said Naccarato. "Pro Photo Supply helped us find the right equipment. I also took a photography class to get better with the tools."

Long-range plans

Sgt. Naccarato says the technology has uses beyond catching truck drivers without seatbelts. He's already cooking up some plans.

"I've got all these ideas in my head," he says. "We could use it to take pictures of trucks taking exits as they try to bypass scales -- and have a deputy waiting for them on the other side of the exit with the proof.

"The overall goal of these national programs is the same: Come up with innovative solutions," he says. "The Sheriff's Office is trying to do just that."

Sgt. Naccarato is available for interviews. For more information on the "Be Ready, Be Buckled" campaign, visit:

www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/safety-belt/index.htm

[END]

Contact Info: Jim Strovink, Detective