08/30/2026
🚔 TRAFFIC SAFETY & ENFORCEMENT UPDATE
The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office continues working to make our roadways safer through targeted traffic enforcement, education, and High Visibility Enforcement operations conducted with assistance from the Florida Department of Transportation Grant System, which funds these additional enforcement actions within Okeechobee County.
During the reporting period of July 6 through August 16, 2026, deputies conducted operations focusing on speed and aggressive driving, seatbelt and vehicle occupancy violations, and impaired driving.
🚨 Speed & Aggressive Driving
Three High Visibility Enforcement operations were conducted on July 21, August 10, and August 11, 2026, in areas identified for crashes, speeding, and aggressive driving.
During 32 hours of targeted enforcement, deputies made 40 citizen contacts and issued:
• 18 warnings for unlawful speed
• 19 citations for unlawful speed
• 3 citations for passing in a no-passing zone
• 2 citations for red-light / stop sign violations
• 1 citation/arrest for driving while license suspended with knowledge
🚗 Additional Enforcement
Deputies also conducted nine vehicle occupancy/seatbelt operations and 26 impaired driving operations during the reporting period.
Across all three FDOT grant-funded enforcement areas, OCSO conducted approximately:
38 High Visibility Enforcement operations
411 citizen contacts
380 educational materials distributed
368.5 hours of targeted enforcement
These hours are in addition to traffic enforcement conducted by deputies as part of their normal patrol duties.
During this same period, the Florida Highway Patrol issued 15 moving citations, with the majority on SR 68 West. Four were issued on Berman Road/NE 128th Avenue or SR 710 in the same general vicinity.
Those citations are separate from and not included in OCSO’s totals above.
🚦 SR 70 & Berman Road, Posey’s Corner Update
We would also like to share a positive update regarding SR 70 and Berman Road/NE 128th Avenue, commonly known as Posey’s Corner.
FDOT survey crews were on site last week and again this week conducting field reviews at the intersection.
We understand that the community, which includes us, wants to see improvements at this location as quickly as possible.
It is important to understand that the Sheriff does not have the authority to dictate to FDOT where or when roadway projects are completed. However, Sheriff Noel E. Stephen, along with the Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners, has been actively working with FDOT in an effort to expedite the process and address this known problematic location as quickly as possible.
Our shared goal is to see improvements made before another tragedy occurs.
Roadway improvements must still move through the appropriate governmental and FDOT processes, and those processes take time. Seeing survey crews on site conducting field reviews is a positive step in that process.
We will continue to share information as it becomes available and continue our enforcement efforts in the area.
Traffic safety requires a combination of enforcement, education, engineering, and most importantly, responsible driving.
Slow down. Put the phone down. Pay attention to signs and traffic signals. Never drive impaired. Strap your kids into the appropriate seats, and then buckle up.
Our goal remains simple: reduce crashes, prevent injuries, and save lives.
