California's law enforcement community must set ambitious goals for traffic safety enforcement and education. Police officers have unprecedented opportunities to prevent a traffic fatality from occurring at the rate of one every two hours, and to reduce the number of serious injuries resulting from traffic collisions.

What is the California Law Enforcement Challenge?

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) believe an increase in traffic enforcement in a community results in a decrease in motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities and they have the studies to prove it! In fact, no other program or strategy works as well as law enforcement in making the roads safer. The California Law Enforcement Challenge, which is modeled after the IACP's grant funded National Law Enforcement Challenge program complements all the other training and public information programs that NHTSA does to promote traffic safety.

The California Law Enforcement Challenge is a competition between similar sizes and types of law enforcement agencies for the best traffic safety programs in California. The areas of concentration include efforts to train officers, enforce laws, and educate the public about occupant protection, impaired driving, and speeding. The program allows law enforcement agencies to set comprehensive goals, to strive to reach new heights in traffic safety, to share their experiences with others, and to be recognized for their traffic safety accomplishments. Agencies submit an application (usually in a three ring or presentation binder) which documents their efforts and effectiveness in these areas. The winning safety programs are those that combine officer training, public information and enforcement, to reduce crashes and injuries within its jurisdiction. This competition has no losers - only winners, for making a difference in the communities we serve each day by effectively saving lives and reducing the frequency and severity of injuries. These are the true rewards of law enforcement's efforts in traffic safety.

What's in it for your agency?

The competition is a friendly way for law enforcement agencies to increase their attention to traffic safety. It provides opportunities for public recognition of exemplary programs (e.g., Nifty Fifty), incentive for continuing traffic safety activities, and documentation of agency effectiveness that can be used in future grant proposals. Every agency has some traffic safety programs, so participation does not require extra commitment on anyone's part. Merely documenting current activity has produced many winners. This documentation can help provide accountability and prove the value of a strong traffic program. Being the winner brings a great deal of positive attention to a department, benefits at budget time and enhances an agency's reputation as a department, which is "tough on crime" yet prioritizes traffic safety. Forward a complete submission by the due date to the California Highway Patrol's Commissioner's Support Unit for your agency to be entered in the California Law Enforcement Challenge.

How are the Applications Judged?

Every submission is separated into categories based on the type of agency and their number of sworn personnel. A panel of judges is selected from across the country which consist of independent members of the law enforcement community, public safety, and corporate partners who have demonstrated advance knowledge of highway safety initiatives. Each submission will be reviewed and assigned points based on the judging criteria. The scores are then averaged and a final score is assigned. After all of the applications are scored, the agencies are ranked within their category.

The top three winners (including ties) in each category will receive awards for their traffic safety efforts.

First Time Entry: (Local Allied Law Enforcement Only) The Rookie of the Year award will be presented to a local allied law enforcement agency that is entering the California Law Enforcement Challenge for the very first time. All entries, regardless of category, will be considered.
Child Passenger Safety: Agencies will be judged on their efforts to promote and enforce child passenger safety in their communities.
Occupant Protection: Agencies will be judged on their notable efforts to promote and enforce occupant protection laws.
Impaired Driving Awareness: Agencies will be judged based on their notable efforts to detect and apprehend impaired drivers, and to address impaired driving through policies, officer training, and public information and education.
Speed Awareness: Agencies will be judged based on their efforts to address the problem of speeding through enforcement, public education, and officer training.
Underage Alcohol Prevention: Agencies will be judged on their notable efforts to address the problem of underage drinking and impaired driving by those under the legal drinking age.
Technology Award: Agencies will be judged based on their notable efforts to address traffic safety concerns using new and/or innovative technology, such as crash data collection, cameras, speed indicator trailers, total station crash investigation, etc.
Bicycle/Pedestrian: Agencies will be judged based on their efforts to promote and enforce bicycle and/or pedestrian safety.
Commercial Vehicle: Agencies will be judged on their efforts to promote and enforce occupant protection laws for commercial vehicle drivers and their overall comprehensive education and enforcement programs for commercial vehicles.
Motorcycle Safety Award: Agencies will be judged on their efforts to promote and enforce motorcycle safety in their community.
Commissioner's Overall Excellence in Traffic Safety Award: This special award will be presented annually to the law enforcement agency with the most comprehensive traffic safety program. All agencies entered in the California Law Enforcement Challenge will be considered for this award.

National Law Enforcement Challenge

California Law Enforcement Challenge
Assistant Commissioner, Staff (003)
Commissioners' Support Unit
Building A
601 North 7th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

Attention: Officer Lanika Lee-Escorpiso
Telephone: (916) 843-3003
e-mail: CSU@chp.ca.gov