Ogden Police Department Joins National Click It or Ticket Campaign

The Ogden Police Department will join local and national law enforcement officers and highway safety advocates across the country for the 2013 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization, May 20 – June 2.

Officers enforce seat belt laws year round, but during the mobilization, there is a concentration on cracking down on motorists who fail to wear their seat belts, both day and night – no warnings, no excuses.

High visibility, zero tolerance enforcement such as the Click It or Ticket mobilization is credited with increasing the national belt usage rate from 58 percent in 1994 to an observed usage rate of 85 percent in 2010. Here in Ogden the observed rate is even higher. Yet, despite these gains, 218 unrestrained occupants died in crashes on New York roads in 2011 and unbelted motorists cost the public over $16 million in medical care in 2010. These statistics are just too high.

Seat belts save thousands of lives each year across America so it continues to be a priority among law enforcement and traffic safety officials.

Remember to wear your seat belt, not just from May 20 to June 2, but always. You will save the cost of a ticket and may even save a life.

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Open Letter to the Community from Chief Nordquist:

Greetings:

With the new year, I plan on writing a frequent column with the intent to inform and communicate with the people for whom we serve. I thought this might be the time to start off with a few basics of your Police Department. We are a 24 – 7 full service Department. The term “service” is key. We respond to calls for service that include but are not limited to motor vehicle accidents, incidents of criminal activity and domestic violence. In addition, we enforce the traffic laws and educate our residents and business people about the danger of drinking and driving, texting while driving and unsafe speeds through our neighborhoods. The Department has a vigorous Neighborhood Watch Program which is made possible due to the involvement and participation of our partners (residents - business people) in the community. We offer Crime Prevention information, Security Surveys and believe in a strong partnership with our schools and public service agencies within the Town and Village. We subscribe to Community Policing and some examples of that include: daily foot patrol, presence at community events and monthly pharmaceutical surrender days. I am accessible to all of you. On Friday’s I am always in the office between 1:00pm and 3:00pm and offer an open invitation to anyone to stop by without an appointment to discuss issues that may be of concern to you. Of course, I am available other times and I can be reached at 617-6131. The most efficient way to request the services of a police officer is to call 911 anytime of the day or night. I am proud of our police department and honored to be your Chief. I credit the men and women who work here as caring people and interested in your safety. Next month we will talk about some crime prevention tips that you might find helpful. Be safe.

CORE Values:

Respect- Integrity- Courtesy-Fairness

Doug Nordquist Chief of Police