What defines a roving patrol?

A roving patrol is primarily characterized as an active search for traffic violations. This method involves officers actively driving in a designated area to identify and respond to traffic infractions as they occur. Roving patrols are not limited to a specific location or surface, allowing officers to monitor a broad area for any signs of risky driving behavior, such as speeding, reckless driving, or impaired driving.

While detecting impaired drivers can be a significant focus of patrols, the overall objective encompasses a wider range of traffic law violations. This distinguishes roving patrols from stationary checks, which are designed to monitor traffic at specific points, or approaches that concentrate multiple officers in a singular location. Roving patrols adapt to the dynamics of traffic patterns and potential violations, responding to incidents in real-time rather than waiting for offenses to occur at a predetermined site.