616.16 Law Enforcement Services
The use of law enforcement, both active and passive, is an effective tool to ensure traffic complies with work zone requirements arising from certain construction projects and maintenance operations. Law enforcement use will vary from project to project and the core team decides whether to use these services.
616.16.1 Guidelines for Providing Law Enforcement Services
The following are recommended procedures to provide law enforcement in MoDOT construction zones.
A. Funds for work zone enforcement will be transferred and administered by Highway Safety.
B. Each district is to forecast the number of enforcement hours needed and the designated routes scheduled for the year’s construction projects. The average hourly rate for law enforcement is approximately $50.00 +/- $15.00 per hour.
C. Each district is to set up and include in the STIP their funding levels for the activity needed. Highway Safety will reimburse the city, county and state law enforcement agencies. Each district should establish a contact, if possible, to work with Highway Safety to avoid confusion on district work zone enforcement priorities and funding allocation.
D. The district submits these estimates and designated roadways to Highway Safety for review. Based on the construction locations, Highway Safety will contact law enforcement agencies to attend a meeting in the district to discuss schedule scope and the requested enforcement activity logistics. The law agencies should be contacted at least three months prior to the actual time enforcement is needed. This allows time for the law enforcement agency, local government councils, commissions and MoDOT’s Chief Counsel Office to review the contract.
E. Highway Safety will work up the appropriate contract agreements and send these to the selected law enforcement agencies.
F. A pre-construction meeting will be held with the district, construction companies and law enforcement agencies to finalize project time, schedule, scope and logistics. This meeting should take place 2 to 3 months prior to the actual work being conducted to allow law enforcement agencies to prepare officer work schedules.
G. Districts will work directly with law enforcement agencies to ensure proper enforcement coverage in designated construction zones.
H. Enforcement activity billing will be sent to Highway Safety for review and approval. All activity will be tracked and a detailed report of expenditures and enforcement activity will be provided to appropriate personnel.
616.16.2 Guidelines for the Selection of Law Enforcement Services
To foster the continued use of and streamline the process for securing this service, MoDOT district staff will identify those projects or operations that can benefit from such support and estimate the number of service hours needed for each project or operation identified. This information will then be used to establish a project number with associated funding for the reimbursement of law enforcement services to be provided in each district and assist Highway Safety in securing those services for the districts. Consider law enforcement for:
- Types of Facilities
- Freeway
- Expressway
- Multilane with shoulders
- Speeds
- Normal posted speed greater than or equal to 55 mph
- Operating speeds greater than speed limit
- Traffic Control
- Lane closure
- Moving operation in lane
When discussing the possibility of using law enforcement services, the core team should also consider:
- Past experience in an area or with a type of work
- Availability of law enforcement
- Complexity or impact of a project/operation
- Output from MoDOT’s Transportation Management Strategy Matrix
- Whether there is a propensity for traffic back-ups
- Whether law enforcement would aid a project performed as night work
When law enforcement services are deemed appropriate for a project, a job special provision indicating the number of estimated hours these services will be used is to be included in the contract documents. There is no pay item for law enforcement services.