CALDWELL, Idaho — Residents in Caldwell continue to raise concerns about speeding in the neighborhood near Caldwell High School, where two children were struck by cars in crosswalks last school year. Police say they are aware of the growing traffic issues and are ramping up enforcement ahead of the new school year.
Neighbors shared ring camera footage showing cars traveling faster than the posted 25 mph speed limit on Larch Street. The footage prompted community members to bring their concerns directly to city officials.
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Jeanne Cridebring took her concerns to the city council.
"Are you willing to address the excessive speeding on Larch Street?" Cridebring said.
Caldwell Police's Real Time Information Center team uses data to determine where to deploy patrols, focusing on areas where other crimes, such as shoplifting, may occur, as well as locations with the highest frequency of accidents. This is why many officers will park on patrol in parking lots and other busy areas.
"Hopefully a car sitting in a parking lot somewhere will deter people from crashing in an already high-crash area," Andrew Heitzman said.
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Police have already issued over 900 traffic stops this month, up 16% from 2025. The department created a team specifically dedicated to traffic enforcement in January of this year.
"We see that need," Heitzman said.
Ahead of the school year, Heitzman said patrols will be visible at all schools. He added that patrols in school zones have increased from 22 in 2023 to 172 last school year. A 682% increase.
When asked whether there is a concern for the Larch Street area ahead of the new school year, Heitzman said the department is committed to enforcement across all school zones.
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"I think any schools, not just Larch but other areas, will have enforcement, whether that's school resource officers or patrol," Heitzman said.
Caldwell Police say they will be closely monitoring the Larch Street neighborhood as school approaches. Residents who want to file a speeding or traffic complaint are encouraged to include the time window when speeding is at its worst, so officers can deploy patrols at the most effective times.
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