Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Resource: GHSA Toolkit to Help Strengthen Partnerships with Law Enforcement Agencies



New Toolkit to Help States Strengthen Interactions with Law Enforcement 
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is releasing a toolkit of resources today to help State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) strengthen partnerships with law enforcement agencies in their state around the issue of traffic safety. The toolkit was developed under a contract with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to enhance and support law enforcement and highway safety office interactions.

Law enforcement is a critical partner in efforts to prevent crashes and eliminate roadway deaths and injuries. High visibility enforcement efforts are a proven countermeasure that deters individuals from participating in high-risk driving behaviors.

“Every day, law enforcement is faced with a tremendous number of competing priorities,” said GHSA Chair and Washington Traffic Safety Commission Director Darrin Grondel, who spearheaded the development of the toolkit. “We created these resources to help SHSOs develop and enhance relationships with agencies in their state in order to encourage wider participation in traffic safety activities.”

The toolkit, which is available on the GHSA website, includes:
  • A self-assessment tool for SHSO executives to review their law enforcement outreach and engagement activities and develop plans to strengthen these relationships.
  • A directory of state-level law enforcement association contacts.
  • A customizable PowerPoint presentation for SHSO executives to use in meetings with law enforcement executives.
  • A companion guide for the PowerPoint presentation that includes customization instructions, talking points and discussion topics.
  • A set of case studies examining effective state Law Enforcement Liaison programs and their relationship with SHSOs.

“Law enforcement and SHSOs are a powerful pairing in the fight to make our roadways safer,” said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “This is another way GHSA supports efforts to strengthen these partnerships and provide SHSOs with relevant and useful resources.”

For more information about the toolkit and GHSA’s efforts to strengthen law enforcement and SHSO interactions, contact Amadie Hart at [email protected] or 202-580-7933.