Transit Police Gets Aggressive For Semana Santa
In a bold and aggressive move, the Policía de Tránsito will be patrolling key intersections on around the clock basis and will be using unmarked cars and officers in detecting speeding and erratic driving.

Germán Marín, director of the policía de Tránsito, announced that for the first time private vehicles driven by Tránsito officials in plain clothes will be used to catch speeding drivers and follow drivers who may be under the influence of alcohol or driving erratically.

The plain clothes officers will follow the vehicle to the next marked Tránsito police post and will assist officials in giving testimony against the offending driver.

Marín added that Tránsito officials will be patrol 24 hours in strategic points around the country in an effort to reduce drinking and driving and hopefully reduce the number of deaths of the roads due to traffic accidents.

Some 800 of the 850 Tránsito police force will be on duty all week, the largest display of police presence ever seen, according to Marín.

As part of this aggressive campaign, yesterday the Policía de Tránsito, made a surprise inspection of all trucks and buses on Ruta 32 - the San José/Limón route - near the Saprissa stadium to inspect the tires of all buses and heavy trucks passing through.

Tránsito officials were assisted by personnel of the Consejo de Transporte Público (CTP) and the Bridgestone/Firestone tire manufacture, expers in tire wear, using special equipment to determine excessive thread wear and the condition of the tires.

In total 11 trucks were pulled off the road and some 25 others were given tickets.

Director Marín, said that is all part of the Semana Santa operations that will focus on road safety, drunk driving and irresponsible behaviour on the roads and that the same operation will be conducted on different routes during the entire week.