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Sheriff’s Office Receives Honors For Traffic Safety Initiatives

Release Date: August 17, 2006

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has been honored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Sheriffs’ Association and the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Program for its traffic safety enforcement initiatives and community education programs.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police announced the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has one of the best traffic safety programs in the nation when compared to agencies of similar size.

Along with that announcement, the National Sheriffs’ Association says the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has one of the best Child Passenger Safety Program in the nation.  The Sheriff’s Office received word of the two honors by way of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

 “This is indeed an honor for the Sheriff’s Office.  I commend these Deputies in the Traffic and Crime Prevention Bureaus, along with their commanders, for their tireless efforts to keep roadways in Shelby County as safe as possible for motorists,” said Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.

The Sheriff’s Office was among more than 400 law enforcement agencies, including 44 from the state of Tennessee that applied for the “Law Enforcement Challenge Awards” by way of the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

“We are excited for Sheriff Luttrell and his whole team.  This is a huge honor and the Governor's Highway Safety Office is proud of their accomplishments.  Any time we have a national winner in the State of Tennessee it will pay dividends as we continue our fight to save lives,” said Kendell Poole, Director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

The “Challenge Award” competition encourages law enforcement agencies to set comprehensive goals to reduce traffic crashes so they may be recognized for their traffic safety accomplishments.  Those traffic safety ideas are in turn shared with other agencies across the nation.

The Sheriff’s Office Traffic Bureau submitted a detailed report to the G.H.S.O. outlining its roadway safety initiatives conducted throughout Shelby County.

Here are some highlights that led to the Sheriff’s Office recognition by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Sheriffs’ Association:

• Reduction in Traffic Crash Fatalities
  71% decrease - 6 traffic fatalities in 2005 compared to 21 in 2004 (one crash involved 7 victims)

• Reduction in Traffic Crash Injuries
  14% decrease - 330 crashes in 2005 as compared to 384 in 2004

• Reduction in Traffic Crash Property Damage
  7% decrease - 1290 property damage crashes in 2005 as compared to 1382 in 2004

• Reduction in Traffic Crashes Related To D.U.I.
  46% decrease in 2005 - 49 in 2005 compared to 90 in 2004

• Reduction in Traffic Crashes Involving Juvenile Drivers
  8% decrease in 2005 - 208 in 2005 compared to 225 in 2004

• Traffic Safety Enforcement Zero-Tolerance Initiatives
  2005 - 609 conducted
  2004 - 298 conducted

Along with the safety enforcement efforts the Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Bureau, working jointly with the Traffic Bureau, initiated a “Child Passenger Safety Program” in June, 2005.

A Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Deputy was certified as a “Child Passenger Safety Technician” and conducted approximately 20 programs in a specially designed van at churches, neighborhood associations, businesses and other events.

The Sheriff’s Office has also been recognized for its aggressive enforcement efforts to stop the sale of alcohol to minors at Memphis and Shelby County liquor stores, convenience stores, grocery stores and other businesses that sell beer and alcohol.

Sheriff’s Office Deputies assigned to the Metro D.U.I. Squad conducted 31 beer stings in 2005 which resulted in the arrest of 382 clerks who sold beer to underage persons.

A dedication ceremony for the awards, which will be displayed at the Sheriff’s Office Substation, 11670 Memphis Arlington Road in Arlington, Tennessee, will be held at the substation on Wednesday, August 23 at 8:30 a.m.

Sheriff Luttrell and Director Poole of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office will make brief remarks.

 

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