Southeastern Police Department receives LHSC grant
Thursday, December 10, 2015
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana University Police Department has been awarded
a $13,180 grant from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (LHSC) to conduct additional
traffic safety enforcement.
The primary goal of the grant is to reduce fatal and injury crashes on Louisiana
roadways, said Southeastern Lt. Patrick Gipson.
“Our students and employees travel the parish roads every day and often commute
from surrounding parishes,” he said. “We want everyone to arrive at their destinations
safely. That’s why we conduct highway safety enforcement.”
The grant provides funding for officers to work overtime conducting day and night
occupant protection and impaired driving enforcement. The University Police Department
will also participate in the LHSC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s
“Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaigns.
“Enforcement is only part of the effort,” explained Director of University Police
Harold Todd. “We will also collaborate with local partners, including Tangipahoa
– Reshaping Attitudes for Community Change (TRACC), Hammond City Police Department,
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police, to educate our students
about safe driving habits.”
“Our efforts are part of a community-wide effort to save lives,” Todd added.
“If everyone works together and encourages their friends to drive safely, we can make
our parish roadways some of the safest in Louisiana.”