2005 Police Leadership Conference Report “Traffi C Enforcement IS Law Enforcement”
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2005 Police Leadership Conference Report “Traffi c Enforcement IS Law Enforcement” February 28th – March 2nd, 2005 Sheraton Hotel, East Rutherford, New Jersey ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Th e New Jersey Division of Highway Traffi c Safety (NJDHTS) and the National Highway Traffi c Safety Administration Eastern Region would like to express sincere appreciation to the following individuals and organizations for the integral role they played in making the 2005 Eastern Region Police Leadership Conference a success: Peter C. Harvey Jose A. Delgado Jose Irizarry Attorney General Executive Director Univision 65/WUVP State of New Jersey Puerto Rico TV News Producer Traffi c Safety Commission John F. Lettiere Jr. Tim Scheld Commissioner Barbara McIntosh News Director New Jersey Department Administrator WCBS News Radio 880 of Transportation Virgin Islands Offi ce of Highway Safety Garrett Morford Roberto Rodriguez Chief NHTSA Governor’s Representative Sade Baderinwa Enforcement and Director Co-Anchor Justice Services Division New Jersey Division of WABC-TV, NYC Highway Traffi c Safety Elizabeth Alicandri Father Sutton, Chaplain Director Th omas M. Louizou Bergen County Traffi c Federal Highway Regional Administrator Offi cers Association Administration (FHWA) National Highway Traffi c Safety Offi ce of Safety Programs Administration (NHTSA) Eastern Region Jessica Eucker Washington Township, NJ Captain David Haggist Charlotte-Mecklenburg Brian M. McLaughlin Police Department Senior Associate Administrator James W. McMahon National Highway Traffi c Director New York State Safety Administration Offi ce of Homeland Security Detective Martin Johnson Traffi c Injury Control Howard County Police Department Sergeant Michael A. Lewis Maryland State Police Investigator Dennis Moesner Lieutenant Colonel Juan Mattos Jr. New York State Police New Jersey State Police First Deputy Superintendent Ana Alaya Reporter, Star Ledger Christopher R. Rotondo Director Raymond Martinez Federal Motor Carrier Safety Commissioner Sheri Hensley Northeast Bureau Reporter Administration (FMCSA) New York State Department New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles News 12 New Jersey 2005 Eastern Region Police Leadership Conference Report “Traffic Enforcement Is Law Enforcement” ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS C. West Huddleston Detective James Miller Rich Simon Director City of Albany Department Deputy Region Administrator National Drug Court Institute of Public Safety NHTSA Eastern Region Michael Eidens Investigator Dennis Moesner Rich Pepe Schenectady County Judge (Ret) New Jersey State Police Law Enforcement Liaison NHTSA Eastern Region Richard Simon Captain Steven Mundorff Chief William Cicchetti Deputy Regional Administrator Bureau Chief of Narcotics and Washington Township NHTSA Eastern Region Organized Crime Police Department New Jersey State Police Sergeant Daniel Larkin Bill Tower New York State Police/GTSC Law Enforcement Liason Susan Gorcowski NHTSA Mid Atlantic Region Offi ce Director NHTSA Communications and SFC Frank McVey Consumer Information New Jersey State Police Heather Rothenberg Associate Researcher Mass SAFE New Jersey State Police Color Guard Lieutenant Steve Wolcott New Jersey State Police Ted Minall Th e 2005 Police Leadership Law Enforcement Liaison Conference Planning Committee Edward O’Connor NHTSA New England Region Especially to: NJDHTS Deputy Chief Edward T. Cannon Violet Marrero NYPD Ann Burton Program Manager NJDHTS NHTSA Eastern Region Deputy Chief James Garside Nassau County Police Department Th e New Jersey Sami Richie DHTS Staff Captain Al DellaFave Program Manager NHTSA Eastern Region New Jersey State Police Special thanks to our Exhibitors 2005 Eastern Region Police Leadership Conference Report “Traffic Enforcement Is Law Enforcement” EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Th e 2005 Eastern Region Police Leadership Conference was the third hosted by the State of New Jersey since 1996. Th e purpose was to present pertinent infor- mation and materials to the lead- ership of law enforcement from the states represented by NHT- SA Eastern Region: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. Th e goal was to provide the latest in- formation from NHTSA as well as to foster new relationships be- tween the highway safety com- munity and police administration from state, county, and local law enforcement agencies. A conference of this magnitude, targeted to an audience of such high esteem, required bringing in speakers and presenters from law enforcement and traffi c safety agencies from across the country. However, it was also important to utilize local representatives New Jersey state troopers guard a truck where who have demonstrated eff ective use of traffi c safety funding or police confi scated $5.3 million in cash in Cranbury have shown personal dedication Trentonian Photo/BOB CASTELLI Courtesy of Trentonian to this very important issue. At a time when the nation is at war and priorities for funding are constantly shifting, it has never been more important to mobilize the law enforcement community and provide the well deserved gratitude to those individuals who have carried out the messages of highway safety on a consistent basis. A meeting such as the 2005 Eastern Region Police Leadership Conference could not have happened at a more appropriate time. 2005 Eastern Region Police Leadership Conference Report “Traffic Enforcement Is Law Enforcement” 1 OPENING LUNCHEON State of New Jersey, was introduced and addressed the at- tendees. He stated that traffi c enforcement is not a trivial matter despite the public perception of it as a nuisance. Th e number one cause of death for minority children ages one month to 14 years old is an automobile collision. Th e 2nd largest cause of death for minority children ages 15 to 24 is an automobile collision. He went on to tell a story about a tape he reviewed of a traffi c stop where the parent complained about being stopped. Th e trooper stopped the vehicle after observing an unrestrained child in the back seat playing around with a dog. “It’s amazing that the par- ent somehow believes they’re doing a good job when they Th e conference opened with a presentation of the colors by fail to restrain their child,” Harvey noted. His second point the New Jersey State Police Color Guard. After the pledge was that terrorism is another reason the traffi c stop is so of allegiance, our national anthem was sung by Ms. Jessica important. Everything has changed since September 11th. Eucker. Th e luncheon then commenced and Th omas M. Th e Attorney General predicted that terrorists will more Louizou, Regional Administrator of the National Highway than likely be stopped on the highways and bi-ways of this Traffi c Safety Administration (NHTSA) Eastern Region, country, citing Oklahoma City and Timothy McVey as a began by thanking the enforcement community for their prime example. Lastly, he acknowledged the New Jersey leadership in keeping the region’s roadways among the Na- State Troopers who were responsible for seizing over 5.3 tion’s safest. He highlighted the conference theme, “Traffi c million dollars from a tractor trailer. “We need to pay more Enforcement is Law Enforcement,” by pointing out that attention to commercial vehicles,” Harvey said. “Th ese ve- we have repeatedly witnessed the collateral benefi ts of high hicles are used to transport drugs and used in terrorism.” visibility traffi c enforcement and the “Complete Traffi c Stop.” Th e State Highway Safety offi ces are keenly aware Th e Honorable John F. Lettiere Jr., Commissioner of the that by making the roads safer, we can also reduce crime New Jersey Department of Transportation, also made some by curtailing criminal and terrorist activities. Th at theme would be echoed by the speakers and panelists for the next two days. After these remarks, he introduced Roberto Rodriguez, Governor’s Representative, Director, New Jer- sey Division of Highway Traffi c Safety. Director Rodriguez thanked his staff and the planning committee for their eff orts in planning the event. Director Rodriguez then went on to explain that Highway Traffi c Safety is reaching places that it’s never been before through the formation of partnerships between law enforcement and communities. Law enforcement is an essential component in saving lives. New Jersey has been successful in reaching underserved communities and can be used as an example nationally. He then went on to thank NHTSA and the Governor’s Highway Safety Association for their support. Th e Honorable Peter C. Harvey, Attorney General for the 2005 Eastern Region Police Leadership Conference Report “Traffic Enforcement Is Law Enforcement” 2 welcoming remarks. He stated that Highway Traffi c Safety saving goals and focus on new threats on the roads. Traffi c is very important to him. He spoke about the importance Safety is improving across the United States, he reported. of collaborative eff orts. Over the last two years, New Jer- Our death rate is at an all time low, which represents a great sey is one of the only states to have a decrease in highway deal of hard work. In 2003 and 2004 we experienced suc- and pedestrian fatalities. Th e Department of Transporta- cesses including a record high of 80 percent seat belt usage tion recognizes the work done to accomplish this. How- and a record low in the national fatality rate. It was the ever, over 700 Americans were killed on New Jersey’s high- fi rst overall reduction in fatalaties since 1999 and included ways last year and over 42,000 were killed throughout the the largest decrease in alcohol related fatalities since 1988. nation. “Th e entire nation has become complacent with New Jersey and New York are well below the national aver- this issue. If there was a disease that killed 42,000 people ages for alchohol-related fatalities. Puerto Rico is working last year there would be an outcry from the public and hard and has made signifi cant progress as well. Twenty-fi ve government to fi nd a cure. Highway safety has to become years ago over half of all persons involved in automobile more personal for us.