FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- Fort Campbell police are being recognized for their hard work keeping the installation's roads safe.
Fort Campbell beat out Fort Carson to take first place in the military division of the National Law Enforcement Challenge, a traffic safety awards program that recognizes excellent law enforcement traffic safety programs on the national level.
"This shows that we have a professional group of law enforcement officers," said Keith Shumate, Fort Campbell chief of police. "Our Soldiers take traffic safety seriously."
Moving up from a second place ranking last year, this marks the fourth time that Fort Campbell has won the military division in the 10 years that it has entered the competition.
The process requires Fort Campbell to first submit an application to the Governor's Highway Safety Office for the Tennessee Law Enforcement Challenge. The entries require applicants to submit narratives, policy outlines, photos and media documentation regarding seat belt use, child safety seat use, use of technology, media or special programs, among other topics.
"They haven't announced the state winners yet," said Shumate, "but I'll be very surprised if we haven't won the state seeing as we won the national."
The national award will be presented to a Fort Campbell representative at the International Association of Chiefs of Police 121st annual conference and exposition in Orlando, Fla., in October.
The IACP is an international organization that focuses on serving law enforcement leaders and developing law enforcement leaders of the future.
Traffic policing is currently handled by Soldiers of the 716th Military Police Battalion.
To move Fort Campbell back into the top spot this year, traffic management and collision NCOIC Staff Sgt. Krista Prevatt said, "We have really been focusing on child safety this year."
"Specialist Ignacio Rivera took initiative and volunteered for a class in child safety seats," Prevatt added. "He brought it back here and we implemented child safety seat checks. Now we can train parents in proper installation and use of child seats. We also replace the seat if it is broken or has been recalled."
The bus stop locations around the installation were changed. Prevatt said. "We moved [stops] where children get off the school bus to locations that impatient drivers can't endanger them."
Prevatt emphasized that it's not just the traffic officers that make Fort Campbell safer. "[Military police officers] across the board have been essential to our mission of keeping the installation safe," she said. "The sobriety checkpoints have been especially good at preventing drivers from driving impaired on post. They know we're out there."
Shumate was particularly pleased with taking first place nationally. "We won't know exactly what put us ahead of Fort Carson until the awards ceremony," he said. "We have been making great strides and have a great program. This competition is an opportunity every year to showcase our commitment to traffic safety."
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