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MACP Traffic Safety Committee
Chairman Chief Doreen E. Olko
Auburn Hills Police Department The Committee meets quarterly at MACP Headquarters and members are welcome to attend. We review traffic related legislation in cooperation with the Legislative Committee; plan traffic safety education for the membership and administer the Annual Traffic Safety Awards at the Mid-Winter Conference. As we know, traffic safety is a fundamental mission of policing. One of the Committees biggest challenges is to keep the topic interesting and provide timely information and education that serves our organizations membership and our communities statewide. Our Committee membership represents a diverse group of individuals who bring varied perspectives to this important issue. It is an excellent group of people and we are pleased to have their expertise. In keeping with our efforts to strengthen communication with the membership the minutes of our meetings are posted on this page. We will also have a Committee meeting at the Mid-Winter Conference if you would like to share some insights or issues. Your comments and questions are important. If you something you would like to share I can be reached by emailing me or you may contact the Committee through MACP Headquarters. Chief Doreen E. Olko
Auburn Hills Police Department
MACP Traffic Safety Chairperson Chief Olko has been an active member of the MACP since she was appointed Chief of Police for the Auburn Hills Police Department in 1992. She has served on the MACP Legislative and Private Security Liaison committees. In June 2003 she was elected to the MACP Board of Directors as the District 1 representative (which covers all of Oakland County.) In July 2004 she was appointed Chair of the MACP Traffic Safety committee.
7 Michigan law enforcement agencies earn MACP/OHSP/AAA Michigan Traffic Safety Award
Awarded February 7, 2008 Seven Michigan law enforcement agencies earned the 2007 Award for Excellence in Traffic Safety from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police (MACP), the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) and AAA Michigan. The award recognizes the outstanding commitment the winning law enforcement agencies have made in the previous year to overall traffic safety. There are six categories (small to large) for local law enforcement agencies and one each for county sheriff offices and state police posts. The 2007 award winners include; Class 1: Memphis Police Department; Class 2: Dowagiac Police Department; Class 3: (no winner); Class 4: Van Buren Township Police Department; Class 5 Novi Police Department; Class 6: Royal Oak Police Department. Sheriff’s Department winner: Muskegon County Sheriff Department. Michigan State Police: (no winner). An addendum documents the achievements of each agency in winning this award. “AAA Michigan has been a proud co-sponsor with MACP of this very important award for more than 30 years,” said Jack Peet, AAA Michigan Community Safety Services manager. The winning agencies receive a display plaque from AAA Michigan commemorating their achievement. “The leadership and commitment by our state, county and local law enforcement is critical to addressing traffic safety issues in Michigan,” said Michael L. Prince, OHSP division director. “Winners of the MACP/OHSP/AAA Michigan Traffic Safety Award must demonstrate a clear and convincing commitment to traffic safety within their communities to be eligible for the award,” said Tom Hendrickson, executive director of the MACP. Programs are judged on four components: 1) the scope and duration of the project, 2) the complexity or difficulty of the project, 3) the degree of innovation involved, and 4) the results achieved. “We are particularly pleased that the nine entries for the award in 2007 continue to reflect a trend in an increased commitment by Michigan law enforcement agencies to traffic safety,” said Auburn Hills Police Chief Doreen Olko, chair of the MACP Traffic Safety Committee. Presentation of awards took place February 7 at the MACP Mid-Winter conference banquet in Grand Rapids. The MACP will send the state applications to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) National Law Enforcement Challenge for the first time in the organization’s history.
2007 MACP Excellence in Traffic Safety Award Summary CATEGORY 1 1st Place - MEMPHIS POLICE DEPARTMENT (Agency size 1-10 officers) Addressing concerns about vehicles traveling at excessive speeds through the city and particularly in the areas of the school and during school hours, Chief Danishevskaya developed a selective enforcement program for the police department. This coupled with concentrated training efforts for the officers and a proactive school liaison program have aided in the effort. Working to keep the citizens informed and reaching out to each of the age groups within the city, the Memphis Police Department has developed a partnership with the community. The concentrated enforcement efforts have proven to be effective in addressing dangerous traffic situations as they arise, such as speed in school zones and disregarding school crossing guards. The combination of selective enforcement, education and community policing has resulted in a stronger relationship with the citizens of Memphis and a greater respect for the police department.
2nd Place - SOUTH ROCKWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT (Agency size 1-10 officers)
Responding to citizen complaints regarding traffic problems in the city, Chief Miller devised a proposal for the council that would allow for the purchase of an additional patrol vehicle, that would match the other patrol vehicles, and the addition of two officers. This allowed for a concentrated traffic effort in the village. Three officers worked traffic at the same time, often with one officer working lidar from an overpass in conjunction with the other two officers. Officers followed a strict “zero tolerance” order in regards to impaired driving. Despite being a very small department, South Rockwood participated in as many OHSP campaigns as possible. As a result of the concentrated traffic enforcement efforts, speed and alcohol related traffic problems are down. Citizen concerns regarding traffic problems are down. By developing a comprehensive traffic plan that includes working with the village council, South Rockwood has effectively addressed many of the traffic problems in their community. CATEGORY 2 1st Place – DOWAGIAC POLICE DEPARTMENT (Agency size 11-15 officers)
The Dowagiac Police Department has, over the years, been instrumental in reducing the number of traffic crashes and injuries in the city. However the department felt that those numbers could be reduced further. The department also conducted informal seat belt usage observations and felt those numbers could be improved as well. Armed with this information and with the public calling for enforcement of speeders in the city, the department undertook a targeted enforcement program that focused on occupant restraint usage, speed and impaired driving. They supplemented this targeted enforcement with an educational component that included a poster contest for the students at the middle school. The department highlighted their involvement in the OHSP campaigns with news releases in the local papers. The department utilized collateral from OHSP throughout the city to further educate the public on belt usage and the dangers of drinking an driving. The department took their efforts beyond just enforcement and conducted several child safety seat checks in cooperation with the Cass County Safe Kids organization. All of these efforts resulted in a 13% on over all crashes and a 50% reduction in alcohol related crashes in 2007. CATEGORY 3 No winner. CATEGORY 4 1st Place - VAN BUREN TWP. POLICE DEPARTMENT (Agency size 26-49 officers)
As an expanding community with numerous new subdivisions recently developed and underdevelopment and with two freeways crossing the township, the Van Buren Twp. Police Department was facing an increase in the number of traffic related incidents. To address these traffic generators and remain ahead of the potential problem, the department established a plan that included enforcement and education. Working closely with the schools and neighborhood organizations, the department raised awareness to the traffic safety dangers and established a zero tolerance policy on traffic enforcement. Two programs developed were the Mock Traffic Crash for the schools and Cop on a Bus. These enforcement and educational efforts resulted in an overall reduction in the number of traffic crashes in the township, despite an increase in the amount of vehicular traffic in the township. CATEGORY 5 1st Place – NOVI POLICE DEPARTMENT (Agency size 50-80 officers)
Operating with a philosophy of “partnering with the community” the Novi Police Department’s goal is to identify and solve problems in the city. Through this approach it was determined that this department/public partnership needed to address occupant protection, impaired driving and speeding concerns in 2007. Using increased enforcement and high visibility at fairs and events the department was able to effectively address these area of concern. Assigning officers to districts and working selective enforcement in problem areas the department had a significant impact on overall crashes as well as injury crashes. Injury crashes were reduced by 77 and property damage crashes were reduced by 271. Additionally, observed safety belt usage increased and the city only experience one traffic fatality and speed or alcohol were not a factor in this crash. 2nd Place – KENTWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT (Agency size 50-80 officers) CATEGORY 6 1st Place – ROYAL OAK POLICE DEPARTMENT (Agency size 81+ officers)
The Royal Oak Police Department was faced with a serious traffic problem involving pedestrian involved crashes. Due to the dynamics of this type of crash, these were often fatal or involved serious injury. The department targeted an area where most of the incidents occurred due to a number of businesses that were pedestrian traffic generators. The department developed a three pronged approach to the problem that involved education, enforcement and engineering. Working with the business owners, information was placed in the businesses and the department reached out to the media in their education efforts. Targeted enforcement of pedestrian violations in the area, with officers taking a “zero tolerance” approach proved effective. Additionally, the department recognized those officers who made a concentrated effort to make the program successful. Extensive work was done to evaluate the most effective engineering methods to employ in the area. Ultimately, it was determined that signage would be the most cost effective method of redirecting the pedestrian traffic. All of these efforts working together proved to be fully successful with the department showing a 100% reduction in pedestrian involved crashes in the targeted area. 2nd Place – FARMINGTON HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT (Agency size 81+ officers)
The Farmington Hills Police Department has developed a traffic safety program to address impaired driving, speed violations and occupant protection. The program that heavily relies on community support and involvement, including the City’s Engineering Department, OHSP, Traffic Improvement Association of Oakland County and local citizen groups is called SAFETE3 (Safety Awareness for Everyone through Education, Enforcement and Engineering. The department is actively involved in the various OHSP enforcement campaigns. Officers have received additional training in laser speed detection, occupant protection (CPS) and alcohol enforcement. These officers have been utilized in a targeted enforcement campaign in the areas where the program has identified specific traffic problems. Public meetings and media efforts are used to raise awareness to traffic problems and identified those locations were resources will best be utilized. The department works closely with the city in evaluating traffic flow issues and also utilizes three speed trailers throughout the various subdivisions in the community. All of these efforts combined have had a net result in a reduction in the number of total crashes and specifically speed and alcohol related crashes in the city. SHERIFF’S CATEGORY 1st Place – MUSKEGON COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
A repeat winner from last year, the Muskegon County Sheriff’s Department has taken a very aggressive approach to traffic safety in the county, by seeking out grant opportunities, being actively involved in numerous traffic safety programs as well as taking advantage of the OHSP enforcement campaigns. Recognizing that intersections are areas with the greatest potential for fatalities and serious injury crashes, the department has identified the high risk intersections in the county and has utilized an aggressive enforcement campaign at those locations. The department applied for and received federal grant funding for enforcement efforts and utilized a portion of those funds for intersection enforcement. The department has developed numerous internal policies with traffic enforcement in mind, one of the primary being high visibility. These policies also aid officers in their enforcement efforts by assisting them in identifying those areas requiring intensive enforcement efforts and by designing effective patrol patterns. The department is active in community events to aid in public education concerning traffic safety. With considerable thought and effort the department has developed a innovative, comprehensive traffic safety program that has proven to be effective in reducing traffic crashes in the county. STATE POLICE POST CATEGORY No winner.
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