Nipping traffic problems in the bud

Ever wondered where you could find a traffic cop when you needed one? Well, soon it may not be that hard: Under a proposal from Mayor Bill White, HPD's traffic force may get some help from civilians. The suggestion of an average Joe traffic force is part of the mayor's FY 2007 budget proposal, which he sent to City Council this week.

The civilian force would be trained under HPD and would be able to perform a range of traffic-related tasks, from directing traffic to responding to minor accidents. The force, White said, would help alleviate bottlenecks around town and could get traffic moving faster after fender-benders. Now we know what you're thinking: Civilians dressing up in uniforms, running around performing citizens' arrests — sounds like a bunch of Barney Fifes, right? Well, yeah, except that these folks might actually have some real responsibility, and what's what worries Houston Police Officers Union President Hans Marticiuc.

"When you start giving them some type of police powers, when you start putting a gun on their hip, that could seriously hurt or kill someone. Then, what I think we've moved to then is we've got very, very cheap police," Marticiuc said.

White said details of the proposal, including whether the civilian force would be armed, are still being worked out. If it's passed, the proposal will cost about $1.5 million to implement.