What did St. Joseph County Police's enforcement action near Amazon look like on day one?
Feb. 26, 2025
NEW CARLISLE — The St. Joseph County Police Department issued four warnings and three citations on Monday after launching an enforcement action.
The enforcement action was in response to the increase in speeding and crashes due to traffic near the Amazon facility construction and the GM/Samsung SDI EV battery plant. An accumulation of resident complaints the department received also brought on the enforcement, police said. County Police said they're increasing police presence by looking for and pulling over any vehicle breaking the law on Indiana 2 and a portion of U.S. 20 that runs through New Carlisle.
The Tribune reported that Amazon Web Services will build an $11 billion data center south of Indiana 2 in the Indiana Enterprise Center near New Carlisle. Additionally, the old St. Joe Farm, east of Capital Avenue, is also being eyed for possible use as another massive data center by a different company, The Tribune previously reported.
The department didn't want to begin its enforcement action during harsh weather conditions, Christine O'Connor, the department's public information officer, told The Tribune on Feb. 25. The enforcement action will not affect other areas of the department after reallocating resources, she said.
"Everything will still be covered. This is just extra," she said.
County Police informed the public on Sunday afternoon that the enforcement would begin Monday. Officers didn't see much of a difference after implementing the enforcement action, O'Connor said, but they're just getting started, she said.
"On day one, we can't ask for a miracle," O'Connor said. She said it'll take time.
What's causing the traffic?
“We don’t always see the passenger vehicles or the semis adhering to the speed limits,” Sgt. Jason Dziubinski said in a Facebook video as he was driving on Larrison Boulevard, which turns into Strawberry Road, going toward Indiana 2. The speed limit is 60 miles per hour.
Dziubinski, who leads the sheriff department's traffic division, said there's truck volume all the time, especially during the rush hours. High volume traffic is occurring from 5:30 to 8:30 a.m. and after 3:30 p.m., O'Connor said. During these hours, drivers are speeding and driving recklessly, she said.
Trucks are conducting u-turns — though no signs designate no u-turn — into facilities into oncoming traffic, Dziubinski said. Additionally, drivers are switching between Indiana 2 and U.S. 20, which run parallel to each other, to find a quicker road, O'Connor said.
County Police said they're working with the St. Joseph County engineer, Indiana Department of Transportation and Amazon to "remedy these very serious concerns," they said in a Feb. 23 press release. Police are receiving money from Amazon, allowing them to allocate more resources in the New Carlisle area, O'Connor said. She did not provide the amount the sheriff's department is receiving from Amazon.
The Tribune did not hear back from INDOT regarding their initiatives to alleviate any traffic issues by Tuesday evening.
Prioritizing education
Rather than giving out as many tickets as possible, County Police are placing an importance on education, O'Connor said. Officer presence is a deterrent, she said. While issuing the four warnings and three citations on Monday, officers also took time to talk with individuals during traffic stops.
"Education about the problem and encouraging a change for everyone’s safety is our priority," O'Connor said by email. "… We are hopeful our continued presence will make a difference."
When asked how long the enforcement action will continue, the department said, "It is going to go on as long as it's needed."