Police Chief Rob Lawson - Police To Crack Down On Bus Drivers

hello I'm Chief Rob lawon from the Lakewood Police Department my purpose of this communication today is just to make school bus drivers uh aware of certain complaints that we have been getting recently within the police department uh number one issue is uh the use of cell phones um a lot of parents have contacted us and told us that their students or their children are complaining that bus drivers are talking on the cell phone while driving driving their buses um the law on cell phone use is very explicit and certainly uh school bus drivers would be prohibited from this just like any other driver uh what makes matters worse is that their attention is being diverted while driving our children to school uh the second issue has to do with the actual driving of the buses uh a lot of buses are trying to um make multiple runs and as such are driving carelessly and excessive speeds through developments we get calls all the time about buses racing through developments and driving carelessly um I have recently put out a directive to the officers that any school bus drivers that are seen using a cell phone or are driving carelessly are to receive summonses these buses are carrying our most precious resource our children and as as such their driving should be exemplary also um the bus drivers will be watch watch for any other inappropriate behavior such as taking pictures of children on their bus or or any other inappropriate uh issue uh please our streets are in Lakewood here are very very congested and the buses need to be following all of the laws and no exceptions will be made for bus drivers not following the law thank you