By Y.M. Lowy

New York State transportation officials are responding to criticism over Operation Hard Hat, a traffic enforcement program that places State Police troopers inside active construction zones dressed as construction workers to monitor drivers in real time.

The New York State Department of Transportation said the operation takes place inside active work zones where highway crews are working “just inches away from speeding traffic.” Officials emphasized that this is solely safety enforcement in areas where conditions are hazardous for road workers.

The clarification comes after public criticism and claims that the tactic amounts to entrapment. State officials pushed back, saying the enforcement is conducted in real work zones and focuses on drivers who are already violating traffic laws.

Recent data from a focused eight-hour enforcement effort in Herkimer County showed State Police issued 94 tickets for violations along a stretch of the Thruway work zone. Of those, 69 were speeding-related, including one driver clocked at 79 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone.

Additional citations included eight seatbelt violations, six Move Over Law violations, two for cell phone or electronic device use, and nine other traffic infractions.

The way it works is that troopers dressed as construction workers inside the zone observe violations and then radio nearby uniformed officers, who carry out traffic stops.

The campaign, which began in April during National Work Zone Awareness Week, is expected to continue as officials target speeding, distracted driving, and failure to move over in active construction areas.