BELMONT, N.C. — As students across North Carolina return to classrooms, the Belmont Police Department has launched an intensive traffic enforcement initiative targeting speeders in school zones and residential areas, with officers making 33 traffic stops in just four hours on the first day of the program.

The crackdown comes as the city grapples with growing traffic concerns driven by its expanding population and daily influx of Charlotte-area commuters.

"Our population almost doubles daily with commuters coming from Charlotte," Sgt. Kevin Wingate of the Belmont Police Department told WCNC Charlotte.

The department's back-to-school traffic initiative focuses on three primary areas: speed enforcement, stop sign violations, and pedestrian safety, particularly in zones where residents have

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