Roland, Oklahoma Speed Traps

City of Roland, OK officers in "City Patrol Cars" routinely speed-trap a 1mi./? section of I-40 that evidentially runs through a small portion of their (claimed) "city limits" just North & out of sight of any of the (small) city, & nearby the AR border!

I can’t believe this speed trap isn’t already listed. This speed trap was front page news in the Tulsa World�s Sunday paper, March 16th ’03, with a big picture of Rolands� finest on it. Apparently they are Roland in cash for they were reported to have made over a million dollars in traffic revenue in ’02 for a town population of less then 3,000 souls. You can’t even see the town from the interstate. I thought by now this speed trap would have been eliminated but I drove that route last week. And sure enough, two patrol cars setting down in a valley in the center median of the Interstate running radar, each parked in opposite directions ready to give chase. There is an Interstate sign naming Roland so I guess that�s the city limits. I would advise anybody entering this jurisdiction to watch your speed carefully not because it�s a safety problem but because it�s a famous speed trap. Going down the hill towards this valley it is easy to get above the speed limit.

While driving through in the early morning, I was pulled, my vehicle search without warrent, and I was "held" (hostage – I was not legally arrested mind you; i.e. I was not booked and was not put in a jail cell) until my "fine" (ransom) was paid. I was never given a reason for being pulled over (this is illegal to my knowlage – they must at least give you a warning ticket for something), although I admit I was doing 71 in a 70 zone; I think maybe he forgot. They are surely in it for the money in that town, as another guy (also not clean shaven and driving an older vehicle) was "held" for DWI/DUI until he paid his "fine," and was released in under 1 (one!) hour (I guess they don’t like paperwork, just $$$).

Anywhere on US 64 through Roland is heavily patroled with Ka/K band moving radar mounted on the patrol car dash. They will drive east/west monitoring the other lane of traffic and will turn around through the median. Sometimes they will sit on the east side of town monitering west bound traffic from Fort Smith as the limit changes quickly from 65 to 55 to 45 as you enter the town and easy to miss. They also hide in what looks like an abandoned gas station off the road, they sit in the fuel port monitoring west bound traffic. The speed limit is strictly enforced with one-mile-per-hour over enough to trigger a ticket. They will also stop you for any other minor traffic violation so be prepared and alert when driving through. (No mechanical defects on the car). Often the officers take breaks at the McDonalds on the east side of town or the gas station at the intersection of Roland Road. If two officers are there you are generally safe but I would not push it. A lot of people I have spoken have complained about wrongfully given tickets since they supposedly do not properly know how to use radar properly and Oklahoma requires no training. However I do not personally have any experience with this but I would err on the side of caution. (Don’t drive in any manner in which you may appear to be speeding perhaps?)

Drive through on a regular basis and I am amazed at the number of times, usually every time, I see someone stopped and and being searched. I’m sure it is for our saftey and the saftey of their budget. When entering from the east or west slow down below the speed limit. And if possible STOP in the preceeding town and shave, comb you hair and wash your car. If you still are concerned steal some local tags and put them on a new to a 2-3 year old car or truck. If you are not a WASP check a map for a detour. I have read about other areas on this site and this one has to rank up there.