Judging Criteria

California Highway Patrol Area Offices must submit an entry by February 1st, 2012; All Allied Agencies must submit an entry by March 30, 2012, for the activities you conducted during 2011. Judges will review each one using the following criteria: Policy Statements (20 points) Officer Belt Use policy Enforcement Guidelines (Belts) Enforcement Guidelines (Speed) Enforcement Guidelines (DWI) Include these policies in the entry packet. Enforcement Guidelines include operation plans for checkpoints and radar-selective enforcement activities. Officer Training (20 points) Judges will consider the number of officers trained in the three target areas, overall training record, and the type of training conducted and/or received during the past year. Judges will assess the types and extent of training. Incentives & Recognition (15 points) Additional points are awarded for agencies that reward officers for a job well done and citizens that practice safe driving. Rewards and incentives are important elements in letting people know that traffic safety is a priority in the community and the agency. Up to 5 points will be awarded in each of the following areas: Participation in Saved by the Belt/Airbag programs (state, local, or IACP Saved by the Belt) Recognition of officers for DUI enforcement Recognition of officers for Speed Enforcement Your participation in National and/or local Mobilization Waves (Click It or Ticket, etc.) Public Information and Education (40 points) The bulk of the points are given based on efforts to promote the issues of occupant protection, impaired driving, and speed enforcement. Provide a brief narrative of activities your department has undertaken during the previous year to promote seat belt & child safety seat use, to deter impaired driving, and to reduce speed-related crashes in your community and in your agency. Include copies of press releases, public service announcement scripts, newspaper articles, photographs of promotional events, proclamations, newsletters and printed materials. DO NOT send handouts and promotional materials. Who was involved in effective partnerships in your community with businesses, other agencies, civic groups, or judges? What was their role in your program? Pictures inserted among the description of the program will help the judges to envision your efforts. DO NOT send videos of your media coverage of the events. Instead, describe the activities and document news coverage by the number of broadcasts, the number of stations or the amount of airtime devoted to your program. If you indicate on the application that you accomplished these tasks, show the judges how and when you did these activities. If your department does not recognize individual officers, you can create a policy for the following year's entry. Enforcement Activities (40 points) Judges will look at the three areas in this category and consider the number of officers in the agency and award points based on the contacts per officer. Effectiveness (40 points) Judges will consider the safety belt usage rates for pre- and post-program activities, as well as the percent of alcohol-involved crashes and speed-related crashes. Quality of submission (15 points) Judges will consider how well the submission is organized, as well as if and how much extra time taken in preparing the submission. Further considerations include whether all the information was provided and whether the submission was creative. NO videos will be accepted. Only ONE one-inch binder will be accepted. At least two law enforcement judges will initially review each nomination; these points will be totaled and then divided for an average score, which will determine the placement in its category. All of the entries will be considered for the Special Awards regardless of agency size.