‘Operation Safe Stop’ to target drivers who disregard stopped school buses

MADISON COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) — Richmond Police and the Madison County School District are teaming up to crack down on people who don’t stop for school buses with flashing red lights and stop arm extended.

It’s called ‘Operation Safe Stop’ in the name of safety for the children and drivers. It kicked off Wednesday.

“We came up with the idea of placing one officer on a random bus to run a route during the afternoons or mornings,” says Chief of Police James Ebert. “and then having an unmarked car going behind them a couple spots back to see if we observed any violations.”

It’s considered a misdemeanor to go around a school bus with its stop arm out and red flashing lights on.

Dana Clark. the district’s head driver trainer, has been driving a school bus for 20 years now.

She says she’s happy to finally see something being done and that this campaign has been needed for quite some time.

“I think the public forgets at times what exactly it is we’re hauling, it’s our precious cargo,” says Clark. “And they have to try to get around us or get away from us because they don’t have the patience to travel with us.”