Florida Law Enforcement Challenge Instructions

**This Challenge is due on April 30, 2010**

Scroll to the bottom of this page to find the button to apply for the challenge.

*Keep in mind that if you click on the button you will be taken to a login screen. Type in your username and password if you have already registered for an account. If you don't yet have an account, click here to register. Then login here and apply for the challenge by clicking the button on the bottom of this page.

Florida Law Enforcement Challenge

The following information is designed to guide and assist you in completing your application for the Florida Law Enforcement Challenge. By following these instructions, you can achieve the best score possible for your agency.

Agency Information

Complete the entire contact information section beginning with your agencies name, agency head, agency contact, phone, fax, address, e-mail, number of sworn officers, and number of patrol officers.

Category Placement and Minimum Qualifications

For the Florida Law Enforcement Challenge, category placement is determined by the number of Patrol Personnel listed on the application. Patrol Personnel shall be defined as zone, traffic, DUI, direct patrol, and other street units who have traffic enforcement as part of their duties. Street supervisory personnel should also be included in the number of patrol personnel.

To be considered for the Florida competition, law enforcement agencies must submit a complete application addressing the various areas listed. A minimum score of 100 points will be necessary in order to qualify for any of the Challenge awards.

Organizing an Application

Follow the standardized format for completing a Law Enforcement Challenge application. Include a brief introduction about your agency’s traffic program. Answer all of the listed questions in each chapter of the application. If you don't have the information do not leave it blank. Enter zero (0) if you do not have the requested data, unless the question requires a Yes or No answer. Each chapter of the application is assigned a maximum amount of points.

The following information will assist you with organizing and collecting the requested data for your agencies application. Once you have collected the requested information you can begin to enter the data into the on-line report. Save a copy of your report in your computer. Once you have completed the Challenge application you will submit the form to www.floridalel.org under Florida Law Enforcement Challenge application.

Introduction

Give a brief description of your locality’s traffic safety problems as related to occupant protection, speed, and DUI enforcement along with the solutions that you have developed to combat those problems. Also, briefly highlight any additional traffic problems you addressed during the year. Provide one to three years of data or any traffic studies conducted by your agency to back up your problem identification.

Chapter 1 — Policy and Guidelines (15 possible points)

Applicants simple check yes or no on four questions pertaining to their agencies policy or guidelines for the following questions:

Chapter 2 — Training of Officers (15 possible points)

This chapter covers your agencies traffic safety training conducted during the year in the areas of occupant protection, impaired driving, and speed enforcement. Include the percentage of officers trained in each of the following categories:

• Occupant protection (4 points)
• DUI enforcement (4 points)
• Speed enforcement (4 points)
• Other traffic safety training (3 points)

(Example: If you have 100 patrol officers and 50 officers received training in occupant protection then 50% of your officers received occupant protection training). Roll call training and training bulletins that are related to and promote the Click It or Ticket and Drunk Driving Over the Limit Under Arrest mobilizations are examples of excepted traffic safety training.

Chapter 3 — Incentives and Recognition (20 possible points)

Points are awarded to agencies that reward officers for a job well done and citizens who practice safe driving. Rewards and incentives are important elements in letting people know that traffic safety is a priority in the community and within the agency.

Does your agency recognize officers and/or citizens for their traffic safety efforts? If so, provide the names of the recipients of these awards.

• Participation in Saved by the Belt programs (5 points)
• Recognition of officers for DUI enforcement. (5 points)
• Recognition of officers for speed enforcement. (5 points)
• Recognition of officers for seat belt enforcement. (5 points)

Chapter 4 — Public Information and Education (50 possible points)

Points awarded for this section are based upon your efforts to promote the issues of occupant protection, speed enforcement. and DUI enforcement through participation in FDOT funded traffic safety programs. Your agency must have reported traffic safety data to the LEL program to during the reporting year to acquire points for each program.

Did your agency participate in the following traffic safety programs:

• 2008 Florida Law Enforcement Challenge (20 points)
• 2009 Click It or Ticket Campaign (15 points)
• Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. (15 points)

Check Yes or No to the program participation questions. If your agency does not have a Motor Unit or was ineligible to participate in the DUI Sustained Initiative simple check No. Agencies will not be penalized for not having a Motor Unit or for not being eligible for the DUI Sustained Initiative.

Chapter 5 — Enforcement Activity (50 possible points)

Provide the number of citations issued by your department for safety belt, child safety seats, impaired driving, and speeding violations for the entire year. Include the following:

Number of citations issued for:

• Seat belts ( 5 points)
• Child safety seats ( 5 points)
• Speed violations ( 5 points)
• The number and type of special enforcement efforts conducted. (10 points)

(Example: checkpoints, saturation patrols)

• Total number of DUI arrest for last three years. (15 points)
• Total number of citations issued for the last three years. (10 points)

Citation data can usually be found with your agencies record department. You can also check with the Clerk of Courts in your jurisdiction for this information.

Chapter 6—Effectiveness of Efforts (50 possible points)

Effectiveness is the most important part of any traffic safety program. What was your agencies success in increasing traffic safety, reducing traffic crashes, and saving lives? The secret to this section is very simple: do the research and find the numbers! Not only will it help you in your Challenge application, but this important evaluation data will also help you build a stronger, more effective traffic program. Address your traffic safety program’s effectiveness in the following areas:

• Seat belt usage rate over the last three years. (5 points)
• Total number of crashes over the last three years. (5 points)
• Total number of injuries crashes over the last three years. (5 points)
• Total number of alcohol related crashes over the last three years. (5 points)
• Total number of traffic related fatalities over the past three years. (5 points)
• Total number of speed related fatalities over the last three years (5 points)
• Total number of alcohol related fatalities over the last three years. (5 points)
• Total number of seat belt related fatalities over the last three years. (5 points)

Crash data can usually be found with your agencies record department. You can also check with the DHSMV or local FHP Troop in your area.

• How did the Law Enforcement Challenge Program impact your Agencies overall traffic safety effectiveness? (10 points)

Agencies must provide a brief narrative about how the Law Enforcement Challenge improved your agency's overall traffic safety efforts. Examples of effectiveness would be an increase in seat belt usage rates, increase in overall enforcement efforts (number of citations), decreases in total number of crashes, injury crashes and fatalities.

Special Award Recognition

In addition to the first, second, and third place for each category, Law Enforcement Challenge awards that your agency can receive, there are two special awards that will be given.

If you wish to be considered for any of the special awards, your application should include a narrative for each special award for which you wish to be considered. The following is a list of special awards categories:

Rookie of the Year Award:

The Rookie of the Year Award will be presented to an agency entering the Florida Law Enforcement Challenge for the first time. This award is open to all first time entries, regardless of category.

An agency applying for the first time should indicate Yes or No in this section.

Officer of the Year Award:

For Officer of the Year, you may nominate one officer from your agency. This officer should strongly promote all aspects of traffic safety in your jurisdiction. Briefly describe how this officer made a difference with your agency’s traffic safety efforts.

An agency that wishes to nominate an officer must complete a brief narrative describing the nominees traffic safety initiatives over the year.

Funded by the Department of Transportation