Traffic Safety Awards

On April 16, 2009 the Commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety announced the recipients of the annual traffic safety awards. The awards were presented at the annual Governor's Highway Traffic Safety Conference. The Governor's Highway Traffic Safety Bureau is the designated state agency responsible for the administration of federally funded traffic safety initiatives including those emphasising increased alcohol offense enforcement. According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the State of Iowa Received $6 million from these programs in 2006. (http://www.dps.state.ia.us/commis/gtsb/)

Among the central Iowa recipients of this years Traffic Safety Awards, were Officer Stephen Becker of the West Des Moines Police Department. According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety press release, Officer Becker of the West Des Moines Police Department has been the highest citation and written warning ticket writer of the West Des Moines Police Deparment, Patrol Division, in addition to the most operating while intoxicated arrests. (http://www.dps.state.ia.us/commis/pib/Releases/2009/04-16-2009_Becker.pdf).

These most recent "awards" highlight what the attorneys at GRL Law have been telling clients, potential clients, and audiences at speaking engagements for years, the days of the local Sheriff calling you a cab or giving you a ride home if he determines you have had a little too much to drink, are over. State budgetary needs are met by funds raised by traffic enforcement with the vast percentage of those budgets are funded or supplemented by operating while intoxicated arrests. (http://grllaw.blogspot.com/2008/05/troubling-trend.html). Local law enforcement no longer takes a responsive approach but rather they are proactive in their efforts to sniff out, investigate, arrest and prosecute those suspected of violating the drunk driving laws. Their budget and federal funding depend upon that. For these reasons, in this day and age, it is even more important for people to know their rights, exercise their rights, and preserve their freedom. (http://www.grllaw.com/CM/Custom/Your-Rights-OWI.asp).