North Huntingdon Police Chief Michael Daugherty has a message for motorists: slow down.

Daugherty said his department receives more complaints about aggressive drivers and traffic violations than any other problem. "That is our number one complaint, bar none."

In 2007, the department recorded 2,716 traffic violations, which accounted for nearly half of all the arrests and citations made by officers. The year also saw 526 reported crashes in the township, with one fatality.

This year already has seen another fatal wreck. On the evening of Jan. 16, Michael Peddicord, 25, of Crestwood Drive, North Huntingdon, was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Hahntown Wendel Road. Daugherty said the department still is investigating the cause of the crash, but he said speed might have played a part.

Daugherty said over the past year the department has taken several measures to crack down on traffic problems, and they will roll out new programs in 2008 as well.

Since March, the police have received additional money through the federally funded Smooth Operator program. Daugherty said the funds have gone toward putting more officers out on the streets, and they have produced results.

Once an officer stakes out an area for a few days, Daugherty said word rapidly spreads and drivers respond. "Hopefully even though it might be for a short time, you slow traffic down in that area."

Unfortunately, the effects are not permanent, and Daugherty said the department simply does not have the manpower to monitor all the roads all the time. He hopes measures starting this spring will help.

When warmer weather arrives the police will put mobile speed indicators back up on roads for the township. Daugherty said the signs make people realize what they are doing and do help cut down on excessive speeds.

"We've gotten pretty good reviews from it."

This spring will also bring the unveiling of a new system that officers can use to monitor cars' speeds. The Elec-tronic Non-Radar Device, or ENRAD, will supplement the VASCAR electronic timing system in use.

PennDOT safety press officer Jay Ofsanik said the device's laser-based speed calculator can be set up by one officer, and it doesn't require the painted lines that VASCAR does. "You can set this system up virtually anywhere," Ofsanik said.

The other advantage comes from ENRAD's wireless transmitter. Officers do not have to remain by the system while it operates, giving them more freedom to wait in spots out of the view of motorists.

While Daugherty is pleased when the police catch motorists breaking the law, the ultimate goal is to convince them not to do it in the first place, and maybe save a life in the process.

"What we hope to do is cut down on the accidents," Daugherty said.