Winning agencies from Olympia, Wash., Ottawa, Ontario and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to be honored at IACP’s 117th Annual Conference in Orlando
ORLANDO, Oct 25, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ — IACP — Law enforcement agencies from around the world that successfully fought against serious motor vehicle collisions, school violence and auto theft will be honored today by the Motorola Solutions business of Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) as winners of the 18th annual IACP/Motorola Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement.
KEY FACTS
- Washington State Patrol (WSP), Olympia, Washington is being recognized for the “Yakama Nation Outreach” program which is reducing fatality and injury collisions on Yakama Nation reservation roads, especially among tribal members who had a death rate six times higher than the rest of the country.
- WSP’s education and enforcement campaign resulted in tribal member involvement in fatality collisions dropping from 81 percent to 33 percent in less than a year.
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Contract and Aboriginal Policing Section, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada won for “School Action For Emergencies (SAFE) Plan” which targets increasing violence in schools, in particular active shooter, bomb threats and other serious incidents.
- RCMP’s development of a comprehensive operational computer database is providing more effective school incident responses. SAFE has a mandate of completing emergency response plans for all 4,760 schools in the RCMP’s jurisdiction throughout Canada.
- Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is being honored for “Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy” which is decreasing auto thefts in a city which had the highest rate of vehicle theft in North America for five straight years.
- WPS’s creation of a multi-agency, problem-oriented program includes intensive supervision of high-risk youth and requires vehicle immobilizers for the most at-risk vehicles, resulting in auto theft rates dropping by 80 percent over three years.
- The Webber Seavey Award is named for IACP’s first president.
- This year’s award attracted a field of nearly 70 applicants from around the world sharing their positive experiences with peers in the law enforcement community.
SUPPORTING QUOTES
Michael J. Carroll, IACP president and police chief of West Goshen Township Police Department, West Goshen, Pennsylvania
“We congratulate the winners of this year’s IACP/Motorola Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement. These programs are outstanding examples of the innovation and problem-solving that were the hallmarks of Chief Webber S. Seavey. The tremendous work of each of these agencies is making their communities stronger and safer places to live. This recognition also serves to share these innovative ideas with agencies around the globe, which is the ultimate goal of the award program.”
Debora Courtright, vice president, North America Strategic Projects Team, Motorola Solutions
“Motorola is proud to recognize the 2010 award winners and salute each of the winning agencies for their innovative ideas that showcase quality in police work around the world. The dedication and commitment displayed by these agencies are critical factors in improving the well-being and safety of our communities. Motorola applauds these efforts and commends these men and women who meet the daily challenges of law enforcement with such creativity and resolve.”
John R. Batiste, chief, Washington State Patrol
“The Yakama Nation Outreach project is a collaborative education and enforcement campaign that is actively promoting traffic safety to reduce fatality and injury collisions on all reservation roads. With a combination of media outreach, public education and enforcement, we have been successful in decreasing tribal member fatality rates. This effort continues as we conduct public safety and community events on the reservation to instruct attendees on the dangers of impaired driving and the importance of using occupant restraints.”
Inspector J.D. Smith, RCMP, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
“The increasing frequency of violence in North American schools revealed challenges and gaps in information accessibility and police response protocols. The SAFE plan is a user-friendly and comprehensive operational computer database that provides for a more efficient and effective response. Responding officers have instant and mobile access to locations, photos and details like floor plans, building features and mapping. The emphasis is on lock-down planning and prevention strategies as well as strengthening partnerships with schools and police.”
Keith McCaskill, police chief of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
“Winnipeg had the unwelcome distinction of having the highest rate of vehicle theft in North America for five straight years and we were committed to changing that. Analysis showed most thefts were committed by young offenders, primarily for joyriding. The Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy, which includes youth programs to address underlying causes, is reducing the illegal activities of a strong, committed youth culture in inner-city neighborhoods. Many of the program’s innovations are now being incorporated into a new gang violence initiative.”
SUPPORTING RESOURCES Conference website: 2010 IACP Conference IACP website: The IACP Motorola Solutions website: Motorola Public Safety Solutions