During a special presentation at the Pittsburg City Commission meeting, Tuesday, June 12, the City of Pittsburg Police Department was honored with the AAA Kansas Community Traffic Safety Award. This is the seventh consecutive year the department has received the award, which recognizes police and sheriff departments around the state for their commitment to traffic safety practices and programs.
AAA Public and Government Affairs Manager Jennifer Haugh presented the award to the officers and commended them on the achievement.
“What is remarkable is that the last six have been platinum awards, the highest award AAA can bestow upon a law enforcement agency,” said Haugh. “No other agency, sheriff or police department has a more consistent track record of excellence than the Pittsburg Police Department.”
The police department received the award for its work to address seat belt usage, its data-driven approach to crime and traffic safety, and its efforts to enforce DUI violations.
Haugh shared statistics to demonstrate the impact these traffic safety improvements have made.
Interim Chief Brent Narges accepted the award and took the opportunity to acknowledge Sergeant Travis Bowman, for coordinating many of the police department’s traffic safety initiatives. He also recognized Patrol Officer Brett Dawn, who was this year’s recipient of the Officer of the Year award, and leads the agency in the number of DUI arrests.
“Their efforts and the efforts of our patrol division, as well as the support we get from City staff and the City Commission helps us do what we do,” said Narges.