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NEWS | Jan. 24, 2017

Decorations: 733rd SFS wins state and national awards

By Airman 1st Class Derek Seifert 633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The 733rd Security Forces Squadron Traffic Section at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, finished 2016 by winning three awards from the Traffic National Law Enforcement Challenge.

On Jan. 12, 2017, four members of the 733rd SFS Traffic Section were presented a first place award for Military Police and Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety by the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, along with a third place award for Military Police by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. 

The National Law Enforcement Challenge examines Law Enforcement agencies on traffic safety issues of impaired driving, occupant protection and speed awareness.

“The challenge program evaluates each agency that enters on its efforts on speed enforcement, traffic law enforcement, crash reduction and investigation, all forms of impaired driving, specialized enforcement in problem corridors in areas of policing, data collection, occupant protection and public education,” said Dana Schrad, VACP executive director. “That’s a lot of duties and responsibilities for any one unit to take on. Overall, Fort Eustis has one of most comprehensive and professionally operated military installation traffic units in the country and the end result is safer roads for all of us.”

To enter the challenge, the unit submitted an extensive package with data to show their efficiency in traffic safety issues including impaired driving, occupant protection and speed awareness. Overall, the 733rd SFS compiled a 46-page package showing why they were deserving of the awards.

A few statistics that the 733rd SFS Traffic Section included in their package to be awarded are:

  • The Fort Eustis Police Department had zero impaired driving related crashes in 2015.

  • 57 percent of all impaired driving offenses occurred at the installations main entrance and exit roads.

  • 90 percent of all impaired driving offenses occurred between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. Friday to Sunday.

  • The unit had an increase of 145 percent from 2014 with 57 seat belt citations being issued in 2015.

  • There were no crashes with a result of injury due to failure to properly use occupant protection devises.

According to Schrad, Ft. Eustis possesses a statistic that shows the hard work and determination to commercial vehicle safety.

“The best statistic I can report for Ft. Eustis is the zero statistic,” said Schrad. “Of the 82 crash investigations that were conducted, there were no injury crashes as a result of failing to comply with occupant protection laws. [They] have done a tremendous job at getting people to buckle up and protect their children.”

The unit was awarded the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety award due to the vigilant work of the Traffic Enforcement and Collision Investigations Unit, according to U.S. Army Capt. Nicholas Garcia, 733rd SFS operations officer.

In 2015, 35 commercial vehicles were inspected by a TCI officer who found a total of 115 violations. Thirty one of those violations were out of service conditions of about 18,000 commercial vehicles entering the installation.

For the traffic section, the data collected helps the unit continually make improvements to their performance.

“Essentially we use the data to help guide us where we should be so we’re not out there aimlessly running around,” said Sgt. Derrick Lee, 733rd SFS Traffic Enforcement Unit traffic action investigator. “Most of it is specific targeted areas for speeding or child seat safety. So when we saw an issue that is something we can address.”