(MACON) The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety today honored 31 different Georgia law enforcement agencies for their year-round work to save lives and reduce traffic crashes on our roads during the 22
nd annual Governor’s Challenge Awards held at the Macon Centreplex.
An annual recognition program for statewide law enforcement agencies of all sizes, the program featured awards in eight different categories based on department size, as well as Campus and University Police, Military Police, Traffic Enforcement Network of the Year, Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator of the Year, HEAT Team of the Year and several specialty program area awards.
The Governor's Cup grand prize, given to the top performing department among all categories, was this year presented to the Dalton Police Department. Dalton garnered a score of 200 out of 225 points to win the coveted Governor’s Cup, with judging done by highway safety experts in Tennessee and South Carolina.
The Governor's Challenge program honors law enforcement agencies for their work to prevent crashes, injuries and deaths in their communities, college campuses and military installations. Designed to award outstanding achievements in highway safety enforcement and education, the awards recognize agencies for the approach and effectiveness of their overall highway safety programs. Agencies are evaluated not just for enforcement initiatives, but for unique problem-solving in their communities, using public information activities, and creating departmental policies that support their traffic enforcement campaign efforts.
"Presenting these awards is a highlight of our year because it reaffirms to these departments that they are making an impact in their communities when it comes to saving lives on our roads," Governor's Office of Highway Safety Director Allen Poole said. "We're honored every year to return to this program and let these officers, deputies and troopers share the spotlight for helping keep Georgia's roads safe."
Another highlight of the awards program was the always-anticipated awarding of this year's Governor's Challenge vehicle, a fully-equipped 2020 Ford F-150 Responder. To award the vehicle, 10 agency names are drawn out of a pool that includes any agency that won an award. Those agencies each choose a key and whoever has the key that illuminates a special law enforcement light bar wins. This year's vehicle was won by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. A highlight video of the win can be viewed at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/r7bb7y15e8eydmi/Governors%20Challenge%202021%20vehicle%20winner%20Lowndes%20SO.mpg?dl=0.
"Georgia has law enforcement agencies large and small in all corners of the state and that's what's great about Governor's Challenge." GOHS Law Enforcement Services Director Roger Hayes said. "These awards recognize the efforts of all agencies, no matter their size, on working towards the ultimate goal of zero traffic deaths on our roads. That is a goal we will never stop reaching for and we do that by encouraging departments that urge their citizens to buckle up, slow down, drive sober and never drive distracted."
The full list of this year's Governor's Challenge winners is as follows:
| AWARD CATEGORY |
PLACE |
| |
|
| Category 1: 1-10 Officers |
|
| Demorest Police Department |
1st Place |
| Boston Police Department |
2nd Place |
| Wilcox County Sheriff’s Office |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| Category 2: 11-25 Officers |
|
| Washington County Sheriff’s Office |
1st Place |
| Sandersville Police Department |
2nd Place |
| Adairsville Police Department |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| Category 3: 26-45 Officers |
|
| Calhoun Police Department |
1st Place |
| Perry Police Department |
2nd Place |
| Franklin County Sheriff’s Office |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| Category 4: 46-75 Officers |
|
| Snellville Police Department |
1st Place |
| Habersham County Sheriff’s Office |
2nd Place |
| Crisp County Sheriff’s Office |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| Category 5: 76-100 |
|
| Dalton Police Department |
1st Place |
| Smyrna Police Department |
2nd Place |
| Effingham County Sheriff’s Office |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| Category 6: 101-200 |
|
| Gainesville Police Department |
1st Place |
| Warner Robins Police Department |
2nd Place |
| Valdosta Police Department |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| Category 7: 201-500 |
|
| Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office |
1st Place |
| Hall County Sheriff’s Office |
2nd Place |
| Douglas County Sheriff’s Office |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| Category 8: 501+ |
|
| Cobb County Police Department |
1st Place |
| Dekalb County Police Department |
2nd Place |
| Atlanta Police Department |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| Category 9: Campus and University Police |
|
| University of North Georgia |
1st Place |
| University of West Georgia |
2nd Place |
| |
|
| Category 10: Military Police |
|
| Fort Benning Police |
1st Place |
| |
|
| Category 11: Traffic Enforcement Network |
|
| North East Traffic Enforcement Network |
1st Place |
| Middle Georgia Traffic Enforcement Network |
2nd Place |
| Coastal Area Traffic Enforcement Network |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| Coordinator of the Year |
Sgt. Christy Nicholson
(Calhoun Police Department)
Mountain Area Traffic Enforcement Network
|
| Asst Coordinator of Year |
Lt. Victor Tyson
(Pooler Police Department)
Southeastern Traffic Enforcement Network |
| |
|
| HEAT Team of the Year |
|
| Habersham County Sheriff’s Office |
1st Place |
| GSP Nighthawks South |
2nd Place |
| Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office |
3rd Place |
| |
|
| SPECIAL CATEGORY AWARDS |
|
| Gainesville Police Department |
Impaired Driving |
| Jefferson Police Department |
Speed Awareness |
| Calhoun Police Department |
Occupant Protection |
| Crisp County Sheriff’s Office |
Distracted Driving |
| Dublin Police Department |
Rookie of the Year |
| Snellville Police Department |
Child Passenger Safety |
| Woodstock Police Department |
Bike/Pedestrian Safety |
| Dublin Police Department |
Teen/Young Driver Safety |
| Warner Robins Police Department |
Motorcycle Safety |
| Dalton Police Department (200 Points) |
Governor’s Cup |
For more information on the Governor's Challenge program, visit http://www.gahighwaysafety.org/sitemap/governors-challenge/.
