The Citizens On Patrol Program will be participating in the Manitoba Public Insurance Spotlight on Speed road initiative from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. today.

Rose from C.O.P.P. explains they will have a radar board set up on Crescent Road which will record the speed of passing vehicles and show motorists how fast they are going.

"Where we're going to be on Crescent Road it's a 50 kilometre zone. We have a lot of speeders on Crescent Road, especially at this time of the year. Historically it has shown that once Speed Watch was been out for two or three months the speed goes down. It's a very, very important educational part as far as we're concerned."

She shares the response to the initiative in previous years.

"We've been doing it here in Portage for about 18 years, I think. We have historically found that in spring when we first start we have about a 32% non-compliance, meaning that they're over the 50 kilometres. Now remember, 51, 52, 53 is still speeding. By the time that we're done in September it's usually down to 22%, so it makes a significant difference."

Rose notes over a six hour period they are easily able to monitor 3,500 vehicles driving down crescent Road in one direction, adding it's amazing how busy the street is.