The Smithfield Police Department has rolled out a new initiative, the Public Safety Aid (PSA) program, aiming to alleviate the workload of police officers by assigning non-emergency duties to civilian traffic investigators. These duties include managing non-injury traffic accidents and enforcing town ordinances. The PSA unit is also tasked with enforcing parking regulations, leading to over 900 parking citations for violations like parking in fire lanes or handicap spots. Police Chief Pete Hedrick commends the initiative’s success in maintaining service quality while addressing ordinance issues. Plans are underway for future expansion to further boost public safety.
