ORLANDO, Fla. – For those who might not know, before I ever stepped in front of a camera or stood behind a microphone, I spent several years patrolling the streets right here in Central Florida as a Florida state trooper.
And while many people recognize the Florida Highway Patrol for being traffic-focused (you’ve probably seen those marked Chargers or Tahoes sitting off the interstate), our jurisdiction actually covers a lot more ground than people realize.
Sure, highways are a big part of what we do — but my patrol area stretched from the busiest stretches of I-4 and the Florida Turnpike to the quiet backroads and even right into residential communities. You name it, I probably rolled through it at some point. And every time I did, I was almost always met with the same question:
“Wait, can you even write tickets in here?”
That question wasn’t just coming from curious neighbors. I’d hear it from drivers stopped in neighborhoods, community streets or even gated communities. And I get it — it’s a fair question! Many folks assume traffic enforcement is limited to major highways or public roads, but the answer is a little more complex than that.
So today, I want to pull back the curtain a bit. On today’s live stream, we’re diving into exactly where traffic enforcement can and can’t happen — and why it matters to you.
We’ll cover things like:
- Can a trooper enforce speeding inside your neighborhood?
- What’s the deal with police patrolling gated communities?
- How do private roads affect traffic enforcement?
And yes… whether that “private property” sign actually limits enforcement.
As someone who’s seen both the enforcement side and now spends a lot of time educating the public, I think it’s important to clear up the misconceptions — because at the end of the day, it’s about safety, not just tickets.
So if you’ve ever wondered why an officer was sitting at the entrance of your community or whether those speed bumps “cancel out” traffic laws (spoiler alert: they don’t), join me today for a little insight.