Sheriff's Office

For Immediate Release

PR #: 1500028
Date Issued: Mar 16, 2015 - 11:32am

Over 100 speeding and cell phone use violations issued by Sheriff's Office during recent Joining Forces Pedestrian Safety campaign

CONTACT: Bob Harmon
Washoe County Sheriff's Office
Office 775-785-6235
Cell 775-722-5517

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The Washoe County Sheriff's Office issued over 100 citations for speeding and cell phone use while participating in a two-week Joining Forces campaign aimed at pedestrian safety.

Unsafe speeds and distracted driving are both known dangers behind vehicle crashes as well as accidents involving pedestrians. The Sheriff's Office reminds all drivers to stay focused on the road and obey posted speed limits in order to keep the roads safe for all users.

The Joining Forces Pedestrian Safety Campaign took place from February 26 through March 13, 2015 and included the Reno and Sparks Police Departments and the Nevada Highway Patrol. The following results are from the Sheriff's Office portion of this campaign only.

Sheriff's Office patrol staff assigned to this Pedestrian Safety Campaign initiated a total of 147 traffic stops. Although a driver may be stopped for one violation, several other violations may be observed during the subsequent investigation making it possible that a driver may be issued citations for numerous violations.

The total number of violations cited and warnings issued by the Sheriff's Office during this event was 206. No violations involving drivers failing to yield to pedestrians or pedestrians failing to yield to vehicles were observed.

83 speeding violations
44 cell phone use
27 failure to show proof of insurance
16 driver's license related violations
18 motor vehicle registration violations
3 running a red light
3 equipment violations
2 seat belt violations
2 failure to yield right of way
1 child seat violation
3 other violations
4 warnings

The Sheriff's Office participation in this Joining Forces campaign was made possible by grant funding received from the Nevada Department of Public Safety/Office of Traffic Safety.

Joining Forces is a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement program aimed at reducing injuries and crashes through statewide enforcement in the areas of: DUI, speed, distracted driving, seat belt and pedestrian safety. The goal of these enforcement campaigns is to save lives by increasing public awareness about the dangers of making poor choices while driving.

For more information about pedestrian safety, visit Nevada's Zero Fatalities website at: www.zerofatalitiesnv.com/pedestrian.php


The Washoe County Sheriff's Office is dedicated to preserving a safe and secure community with professionalism, respect, integrity and the highest commitment to equality. Sheriff Darin Balaam is the 27th person elected to serve as the Sheriff of Washoe County since the Office was created in 1861. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office strives to ensure public safety by building trust and creating partnerships within the diverse communities in which we serve. We will promote the dignity of all people supported by our words and actions through open communication while fostering an environment of professionalism, integrity and mutual respect.

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