The subject of window tinting and the Hopkinsville Police Department’s recent crackdown on traffic safety violations has been a hot topic recently, and at Tuesday’s City Council Meeting, the Police Chief discussed it.
HPD recently received a grant that has allowed officers to increase traffic patrols in Hopkinsville for more focus on traffic enforcement and highway safety. That’s led to more traffic stops for various offenses—but some have argued that vehicles with darker window tinting are being specifically targeted. Police Chief Jason Newby says that’s just not the case.
He says very rarely is window tinting the sole charge being given, as it’s often accompanied by other traffic violations.
He also says that they’re not citing folks who have the minimum tinting—they’re focused on those that are dangerously dark or even mirror-like, as they present a real hazard to both the driver and others.
Chief Newby also clarified that out of approximately 2,500 citations written this year, excessive window tinting accounts for just about 100 of them. Newby says he’s heard complaints about the tinting on HPD’s vehicles, and contends that tinting is in place for safety and security reasons, such as the protection of officer identities.