A Message from Law Enforcement

The Elk Grove Police Department and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department in partnership with the Elk Grove Unified School Police would like to remind residents that traffic safety around schools is a collaborative effort. Drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists are encouraged to obey the rules of the road around local schools to ensure safety.

With the beginning of a new year, this is now an excellent time to start thinking more about our children’s safety as they have returnedfrom the winter break.

Chief Jenkins and I would like to remind you that traffic around our schools, especially around arrival and dismissal times, is always very congested. With cell phones, IPods, conversations with friends, and a myriad of other distractions, it is easy for our children to pay less attention to traffic than they should. Drivers can also become distracted and often times pay less attention to foot traffic around schools than they should.

A “Traffic Safety” brochure containing common traffic violations will be posted on the EGUSD website during January and February. These brochurescan be obtained at any school office and are available upon request. Please pick one or more up the next time you are at your local school.

Additionally, and as important, with changing weather conditions, children riding bicycles to and from school need to be even more cautious. Many received new bicycles over the winter break along with possibly new helmets. Proper fitting helmets save lives and help to prevent serious trauma to the head. It is not only the law that children must wear a helmet, but our responsibility as adults to ensure they do. Please take a strong stance with your child if he or she desires to ride their bicycle to and from school or at any timewithout wearing their helmet.

We are asking you as parents or guardians to remind your children to be aware of traffic, obey the rules of the road, and emphasize safety and common sense. For those who are driving a vehicle, we are asking you to slow down, model patience and take extra precautions around all schools. When it comes to the safety of our youth, there can be no margin for error. I am sure you will agree that the well-being of our children is the highest priority for us all.

Robert Lehner

Police Chief, Elk Grove Police Department