Public Safety Named Nation’s Best for Traffic Safety Efforts
Georgia Southern University’s Department of Public Safety and University Police Department has been selected as a National Law Enforcement Challenge first place winner in the College/University category by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The honor recognizes the department’s overall efforts to strengthen and support traffic enforcement at Georgia Southern University.
Georgia Southern was selected from more than 483 applications by departments and agencies throughout the country. Judged by traffic safety and law enforcement professionals, Georgia Southern University was the only institution in the state of Georgia to be recognized. Other winners in the category included East Tennessee State University (second place) and the University of South Florida (third place). Previous winners in the category have included Virginia Tech, Cornell University and California State University to name a few.
“This award represents the hard work, long hours and effort that our entire team has demonstrated during the past year,” said Mike Russell, director of Public Safety and chief of the Georgia Southern University Police Department. “Being selected as the best in the nation is not only a terrific honor for the department, but for the entire University and the University System of Georgia.”
The National Law Enforcement Challenge provides law enforcement agencies from across the United States with an opportunity to make a significant difference in the communities they serve. The Challenge is a friendly competition between similar types of law enforcement agencies that recognizes and rewards the best overall traffic safety programs. Departments are evaluated in three major traffic safety priorities: occupant protection, impaired driving and speeding.
“We are extremely proud of our entire Public Safety team and I would like to personally congratulate everyone on this outstanding award,” said Brooks Keel, president of Georgia Southern University. “Now everyone knows what we have known for some time, our department and public safety team is the best in the nation.”
Georgia Southern University will be presented with the award during the IACP’s Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 26, 2010.
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