LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- He might be the most feared officer on the Louisville Metro Police Department -- just a glimpse of his car strikes fear in the hearts of motorists.

 

In some circles, he's known simply as "The Mustang." And even if you don't know him, you at least know his car.

 

You see the car -- and hit the brakes -- but by then, it's too late he's gotcha! You can hear his intentions while tracking one driver recently: "She's going about 77 in a 55, so going to write 22 miles over the posted speed limit."

 

Officer Clarence Beauford is the man behind the wheel of the high-powered Mustang GT often seen lying in wait or patrolling the Watterson Expressway and Interstate 71.

 

"One of my main functions is traffic enforcement," he says, "so I'm always out on the interstate and pretty visible." And pretty busy -- handing out more than a dozen tickets a day. "Anywhere from you know 15 to 20, 25 stops per day," he says.

 

Beauford has been on the police force for 24 years, and in that time has written more than 150,000 speeding tickets, generating millions of dollars for the city. In fact, if you lined up all the tickets he's written, you'd have a paper trail that stretches from downtown Louisville to Oldham County and back. And he's heard all the excuses: "People say, well, I'm trying to get to work, or I'm late for school....Most generally you hear that -- they'll say, well, I'm just driving with the flow of traffic, or -- or you got the wrong car."

 

Meet the man in "The Mustang" -- LMPD's most feared traffic offi - WDRB 41 Louisville News

Have you met him?

 

And 150K Speeding Tickets! Wow!

Never "met" him, but see him all over the place. LMPD is notorious for random unmarked cruisers. I saw a guy get pulled over a week or so ago by a Sentra. :eek:

Seems incredibly excessive IMO.

That's roughly 25 tickets per day. Assuming 250 working days in a year. 3 per hour on an 8 hour shift.

That's roughly 25 tickets per day. Assuming 250 working days in a year.

 

Hell, it's over 17 a day when using 365 days a year....Like I said incredibly excessive.

This quote from the article:

 

Lt. Seelye says Officer Beauford may not be popular with drivers, but with 72 fatalities this year, 48 percent above last year, he's not just writing tickets, he is saving lives.

 

There seems to be a disconnect in this statement. No doubt excessive speed is an issue. With what I have seen lately though driving while distracted is an epidemic....like the lady I saw talking on the cell phone with a drink in her hand smoking a cigarette while driving...and she did a better job than the many people I have seen lately trying to text/email on their cell while they are driving. Lastly, inconsiderate driving is something I consider to be a major issue, especially on the freeways. It one is in the left lane, and someone comes up behind...let them pass regardless of whatever speed they are going! And, if you are the one behind....don't tailgate! I almost was collateral damage for this situation this AM. I was in the right lane doing fashionably 73 in a 70 zone, and a car was passing me. The guy behind him was right up his tailpipe. Before he moved over into my lane, the guy in front had a fit of road rage, hit his brakes, and then moved over, but right in front of me, luckily, I could slow down....then he threw some drink all over the guys car...or at least tried. However, the whole thing could have triggered a massive pileup at 70 MPH, which no doubt would likely have lead to injuries and or fatalities.

Never "met" him, but see him all over the place. LMPD is notorious for random unmarked cruisers. I saw a guy get pulled over a week or so ago by a Sentra. :eek:

 

:lol2: That's pretty funny. I'd be hesitant to pull over for a Sentra.

Hell, it's over 17 a day when using 365 days a year....Like I said incredibly excessive.

 

Why is that excessive?

This quote from the article:

 

Lt. Seelye says Officer Beauford may not be popular with drivers, but with 72 fatalities this year, 48 percent above last year, he's not just writing tickets, he is saving lives.

 

There seems to be a disconnect in this statement. No doubt excessive speed is an issue. With what I have seen lately though driving while distracted is an epidemic....like the lady I saw talking on the cell phone with a drink in her hand smoking a cigarette while driving...and she did a better job than the many people I have seen lately trying to text/email on their cell while they are driving. Lastly, inconsiderate driving is something I consider to be a major issue, especially on the freeways. It one is in the left lane, and someone comes up behind...let them pass regardless of whatever speed they are going! And, if you are the one behind....don't tailgate! I almost was collateral damage for this situation this AM. I was in the right lane doing fashionably 73 in a 70 zone, and a car was passing me. The guy behind him was right up his tailpipe. Before he moved over into my lane, the guy in front had a fit of road rage, hit his brakes, and then moved over, but right in front of me, luckily, I could slow down....then he threw some drink all over the guys car...or at least tried. However, the whole thing could have triggered a massive pileup at 70 MPH, which no doubt would likely have lead to injuries and or fatalities.

 

 

Just because he's enforcing speed doesn't mean he isn't enforcing other traffic related issues as well.

Why is that excessive?

 

You see nothing excessive about an officer writing an average of 17 speeding tickets a day for 24 years???

 

Nevermind, I already know the answer to that.

Never met him and hope I never do. Seems like a super good guy, wish more police were like him.

Seems incredibly excessive IMO.

 

Hell, it's over 17 a day when using 365 days a year....Like I said incredibly excessive.

 

As long as the majority of those speeding tickets are for 10+ over, then I don't have a problem with the excessiveness.

 

If there were a bunch in there for 5-8 over...that would ruffle my feathers a little. And I'm sure I'll take a lil heat for that.

You see nothing excessive about an officer writing an average of 17 speeding tickets a day for 24 years??? Nevermind' date=' I already know the answer to that.[/quote']

 

Am I missing something? That's his job, right?

 

Did he violate someone's rights? Make something up? Or did he do what he's getting paid to do? On a highway in Louisville I'd say he could write 100 a day if he wanted.

Never "met" him, but see him all over the place. LMPD is notorious for random unmarked cruisers. I saw a guy get pulled over a week or so ago by a Sentra. :eek:

 

I've seen an unmarked Scion xB pulling folks over on the Watterson a couple of times.

 

Also...from the sound of the article, this guy is the only one driving a Mustang. I sat at a stop light on Bardstown Road on Saturday next to a female police officer driving an unmarked Mustang. ???