DENVER – Law enforcement agencies from around the world that successfully fought against gangs, juvenile crime and serious motor vehicle collisions will be honored today by Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) as winners of the 17th annual IACP/Motorola Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement.
The winning agencies are the City of Richmond, Va. Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department and the Ontario Provincial Police, Canada. They will be honored today at the IACP’s 116th Annual Conference in Denver.
The award, which is named for the IACP’s first president, attracted a field of nearly 100 applicants that shared their positive experiences with their peers. Motorola and the IACP annually seek out and recognize innovative law enforcement programs that can serve as best practices for other agencies.
“We congratulate the winners of this year’s IACP/Motorola Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement,” said IACP President Russell B. Laine, police chief of the Algonquin, Ill. Police Department. “The innovative approaches developed by these outstanding law enforcement agencies are blazing new trails for our profession. The successful programs these agencies have established are making their communities safer and will help other agencies worldwide build and strengthen the important work they are doing. It is this sharing of innovative ideas and solutions that is the ultimate goal of the award program.”
"Motorola applauds the 2009 award winners and is proud to shine a spotlight on the outstanding programs that have earned this distinction,” said Kelly Kirwan, Motorola corporate vice president. “The men and women who serve in these agencies are to be commended for their dedication and commitment to their community and profession. Collaborating with the IACP to honor these men and women who meet the daily challenges of law enforcement with such creativity and dedication is a rewarding experience for Motorola.”
Winning programs
GRIP- Gang Reduction and Intervention Program; Richmond, Va. Police
The Richmond Police Department’s collaborative partnership with other community organizations focuses on reducing gang crime and violence in a seven-square-mile targeted area of South Richmond. Since its inception, there has been a dramatic 89 percent reduction in homicides in the target area, helping Richmond drop from 5th to 49th place on the list of most dangerous cities in the United States in just three years.
The GRIP initiative uses a five-prong approach that includes primary prevention, secondary prevention, intervention, suppression and re-entry. Programs are designed to address the full range of personal, family and community factors that contribute to high levels of juvenile delinquency and gang activity.
“GRIP is providing the community, and specifically youths and young adults, with a positive alternative to gangs,” said Richmond Police Chief Bryan T. Norwood. “You can’t just tell them to stay out of gangs, you have to provide alternatives. As leaders in the law enforcement community, we should all be seeking new ways to address these issues and sharing these successes.”
GRIP was recently named a “Best Practices” program by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Juvenile-Focused Policing: A Collaboration to Reduce Crime; Minneapolis Police
In 2003, the Minneapolis Police Department’s Juvenile Division was eliminated due to budgetary issues. By 2006, youth crime rates subsequently climbed at an alarming rate, accounting for nearly 50 percent of Minneapolis’ crime problem in 2006. The police department, which is the largest law enforcement agency in Minnesota, took decisive action by reinstating the unit and tasking it with seeking innovative ways to reduce juvenile crime.
Working together with community and criminal justice partners, they overhauled the department’s entire approach to juvenile justice. This effort not only has resulted in sharp reductions in violent crime by juveniles, but it has produced successful mechanisms for steering minor first-time offenders away from committing serious crime and holds chronic offenders accountable for their actions. Since inception, Part I crimes have decreased 33 percent and juvenile crime suspects in Part I crimes have dropped 30 percent.
“This renewed focus has had a dramatic impact on youth violence and crime rates in the city,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Timothy J. Dolan. “The holistic collaboration has driven change in the city by serving as a one-stop shop for intelligence gathering, investigations, public school security, booking and fingerprinting, and juvenile history database.”
Provincial Traffic Safety Program; Ontario Provincial Police, Canada
Over the last 10 years, the average annual rate of fatalities in motor vehicles on highways patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police had been 489.
Detailed analysis was conducted on the casual factors of fatal and serious injury collisions throughout the province. The Provincial Traffic Safety Program was established to mobilize officers at every level for the sole purpose of saving lives and preventing injuries.
The program focuses on what the Provincial Police call the “Big 3” – impaired driving, lack of occupant restraint and aggressive driving. Core components include high police visibility, an intelligence-led approach and a return to proven safety principles.
“The concentrated effort has delivered exceptional results,” said Ontario Police Commissioner Julian Fantino. “Since implementation in 2008, the OPP saw a 29 percent reduction in the number of fatalities on OPP patrolled roads compared to 2007. The success of this initiative resulted in 129 lives being saved and Ontario’s lowest levels of traffic fatalities in 80 years. The societal savings of this reduction in fatalities is estimated in the billions of dollars.”
About the IACP
Founded in 1893, the International Association of Chiefs of Police is the world’s oldest and largest association of law enforcement executives with more than 22,000 members in nearly 100 countries.
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