As Prince William County Public Schools resumed classes on August 18, local residents may see increased activity from the county Police Department’s Traffic Unit. Officers are focusing on enforcing traffic laws and educating commuters about school zone safety.
“School zones aren’t just about speed limits,” said Master Police Officer (MPO) Michael Casey, a member of the Unit. “They’re about awareness because kids can be unpredictable and one distracted driver can cause a tragedy.”
The Traffic Unit was first established in 1972 as a part-time operation with two members. Its initial responsibilities included ceremonial escorts and occasional traffic monitoring. In 1987, it became a full-time unit staffed by six members and a supervisory first sergeant, shifting its primary mission to traffic control and speed enforcement.
Today, the Unit continues to enforce traffic laws with an emphasis on education and reducing unsafe driving behaviors. The aim is to ensure safe and orderly movement on county roads. Over time, the tools used by the Unit have advanced. Officers now use measuring technology to monitor vehicle speeds, and deploy speed signs that track traffic patterns while providing real-time feedback to drivers. These signs not only display vehicle speeds but also offer reminders such as turning on headlights during bad weather or wearing seatbelts.
Speed signs are mainly placed in areas where complaints are high in order to collect data and encourage safer driving habits. Information collected includes vehicle speeds and times of day. Besides enforcement, the Traffic Unit provides escorts for funeral services and special events like National Police Week each May. It also has commercial vehicle inspectors and equipment such as generators for powering traffic lights during outages.
“Every time we stop a driver for speeding or reckless behavior it’s not just about writing a citation, it’s about preventing the next crash” said MPO Shawn Gallagher, another member of the Traffic Unit. “One moment of distraction or poor judgment behind the wheel can change lives forever.”
Officers continue to remind motorists that many crashes are preventable through careful driving choices—a key part of their mission year-round, especially in school zones at the start of a new academic year.
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