Sheriff’s Office Receives Award from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NEWS RELEASE

On Thursday, August 25, 2016 the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) presented the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and the Evansville Police Department with a certificate of appreciation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The Sheriff’s Office and Police Department work together as part of a Traffic Safety Partnership. The award was based in part upon the partnership’s performance during last May’s Click It or Ticket enforcement blitz, but was also a reflection of the educational outreach the partnership is involved in.

Last April the Sheriff’s Office hosted a “Rule the Road” teen driving safety event in which young drivers were given hands on driving experience behind the wheel of a car with a Sheriff’s Office driving instructor. The program provides teen drivers with exposure to real life experiences not traditionally covered in driver education courses.

Last May the Sheriff’s Office invited local high school students to participate in seat belt surveys which allowed the students to see just how widespread the problem of unrestrained driving really is. The Sheriff’s Office and Police Department then hosted a news conference at Memorial High School to announce the May seatbelt enforcement blitz.

Both the Sheriff’s Office and Police Department were specifically praised for our social media activity. ICJI praised the partnership’s frequent traffic safety messages and in particular our sobriety checkpoint program. The partnership frequently collaborates with the Indiana State Police, taking part in joint enforcement programs throughout the year.

Sheriff Dave Wedding stated, “Our traffic safety program is more than just writing tickets. We realized long ago that a strong education component that targets younger drivers can reduce the negative driving behaviors that result is serious injury or death.”

Funding for local traffic safety enforcement is provided in part by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Pictured above: Sheriff Dave Wedding and Mr. Mark Hartman with ICJI.

Pictured above: Sheriff Dave Wedding and Mr. Mark Hartman with ICJI.

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