Shakopee Police Department loosens up on citations ahead of holidays

SHAKOPEE, Minn. (KMSP) - The last thing anyone wants to do before the holidays is dish out extra money.

The Shakopee Police Department has launched a new program aimed at reducing citations for minor traffic violations.

Instead of traffic violations, the department is using social media to focus on conversations about traffic safety.

“Officers don’t want to hand out tickets if we don’t have to, especially during the holidays,” said Officer Vince Stahl. “That’s why we’re trying something new this year.”

The program is using the hashtag, #SPDTrafficSafety for those who get a warning to post traffic safety tips on social media. If the driver accepts the program instead of a citation, officers will provide a traffic safety message to post on Facebook, Twiter or another social media site.

“The ultimate goal of traffic enforcement is to stop the behavior,” said Stahl, who initiated the program. “We hope this new program will help spread awareness about traffic safety by promoting education instead of fines.”

Police want to remind people officer can of course still issue citations.