>> Eight Years of Motor-Vehicle Fatalities Among Georgia ’ s Law Enforcement Officers
visors monitor deputies ’ speed . Yolo County is a large rural area of California and some calls for service can be miles away . Deputies often sped to those calls to cover the distance . The sheriff , using the in-car camera system , was able to monitor speed activations above 80 MPH and have supervisors challenge their deputies on why they were traveling so fast . This speed monitoring program , built around progressive discipline for unnecessary speeding and other initiatives taken by the sheriff , resulted in a significant drop in crashes . Between 2014-2016 , the YCSO went 27 months without an at-fault crash and reduced its unauthorized speed activations to nearly zero . This saved the agency over $ 250,000 in claims and damages .
While there are many driver training courses and agency-developed programs in law enforcement , there is little science behind the effectiveness of these efforts . There is a single scientific evaluation of a crash prevention program specific to law enforcement . That program was implemented in a large urban agency and resulted in significantly lower MVC and motor-vehicle injury rates . The crash prevention program was multi-faceted and involved changes to standard operating policies , increased and hands-on motor-vehicle training , and a marketing campaign . After initiating the program , MVC rates decreased 14 % and motor-vehicle injury rates decreased 31 %. This was in comparison to crashes and injuries at similar-sized agencies which increased or remained constant . Decreases in crash and injury rates were even more striking among officers who do the most driving - patrol officers . MVC rates among patrol officers decreased 21 %, and motor-vehicle injury rates decreased 48 %. attendees about the risk factors for officer-involved collisions and struck-by incidents and identify intervention and technological innovations that can reduce the likelihood of their occurrence . The executive workshop is 4 hours and is designed to simulate discussion among mid- and executive-level officers about the safety of officers during roadway operations . The patrol officer course is 8 hours and is intended for all line-level officers who are engaged in roadway operations . All trainings are provided to local , state , and tribal law enforcement agencies at no cost . More information can be found at https :// www . policefoundation . org / national-law-enforcement-roadway-safety-program /.
In addition to motor vehicle collisions , there is also the issue of officers being struck while operating on the roadside . There are additional strategies that can be undertaken to reduce these struck by vehicle incidents . The Emergency Responder Safety Institute ( ERSI ) focuses on secondary roadside crashes that involve first responders , Department of Transportation ( DOT ) workers , and towing and recovery personnel . One of their core initiatives is for all these entities to learn and apply the principles of the Traffic Incident Management System ( TIMS ). TIMS provides all first responders with an action plan for safety while also working to clear crash scenes more quickly . Applying the crash scene management components of TIMS saves lives and provides greater coordination between all involved . ERSI offers online TIMS certificates and has created training materials that improve safety by emphasizing enhanced vehicle lighting , reflective markings and the need for high visibility reflective safety vests . More information can be found at https :// www . respondersafety . com /.
In addition to agency-developed programs , there are also national training programs available to agencies and officers at no cost such as the National Law Enforcement Roadway Safety Program ( NLERSP ). The NLERSP was developed by a national working group of researchers , law enforcement practitioners , and subject matter experts . The NLERSP offers in-person , interactive courses for executives , patrol officers , and trainers that teach
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Reducing crashes and improving roadway safety should be a priority for all of Georgia ’ s law enforcement leaders . Based on the data that have been presented - reducing speeds , limiting distractions in the patrol cars , mandating seat belts and building a stronger culture of traffic safety will reduce vehicle crashes and protect officers from being struck while conducting roadway operations .