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The National Academies

BTSCRP BTS-41 [Pending]

Roadmap for the Future Role of Law Enforcement Personnel to Enforce Traffic Safety Laws

  Project Data
Funds: $460,000
Contract Time: 36 months
Staff Responsibility: Richard A. Retting

BACKGROUND 

In recent years the role and function of traffic law enforcement have changed. Some jurisdictions have placed limitations on the engagement of police officers in certain traffic safety functions, such as policies that forbid traffic stops for vehicle equipment violations. There has been a reduction in the number of sworn law enforcement officers in many jurisdictions due to retirements, increased vacancy rates, and other factors, thus further contributing to a reduction in traffic enforcement activity. 

With changes in the role and function of traffic law enforcement, two questions germane to state highway safety offices (SHSOs) and their law enforcement partners are (1) does the public accept and want police to enforce traffic safety laws and (2) what should be the future role and function of law enforcement officers in traffic enforcement? Research is needed to help answer both questions. 

OBJECTIVE 

The objective of this research is to develop a roadmap for the future role of law enforcement personnel to enforce traffic safety laws. 

RESEARCH PLAN 

The work proposed must be divided into tasks and/or phases. Proposers must describe the work proposed in each phase and task in detail. The research plan shall build in appropriate checkpoints with the BTSCRP project panel, including at a minimum (1) a kickoff teleconference meeting to be held within 1 month of the contract’s execution date and (2) at least one in-person interim deliverable review meeting. 

At a minimum, the research plan shall include: 

1.        Review and synthesize domestic information from a variety of sources, and in a variety of diverse geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic settings, regarding: 

a.   Recent changes in the role and function of traffic law enforcement, including policies that restrict or eliminate the use of law enforcement personnel to conduct traffic enforcement. 

b.   Public acceptance and demand for law enforcement officers to enforce traffic laws, including historical information and trends (if the research team finds a lack of existing data for this task, a survey can be considered). 

c.   Traffic safety and other impacts associated with changes in traffic enforcement activities. 

2.        Gather information from a variety of law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to assess practices, policies, and challenges related to law enforcement personnel performing traffic safety enforcement duties.  

3.        Develop a roadmap that provides alternative strategies applicable to a variety of jurisdictions to inform policies regarding the role of law enforcement personnel to conduct traffic safety enforcement. 

4.        Plan and conduct a workshop (prior to submission of draft final deliverables) to present the proposed roadmap. At least 15 representatives from diverse SHSOs, law enforcement agencies, and social justice advocates should attend. The research team shall revise the draft roadmap taking into account feedback gathered during the workshop.

 

Final deliverables shall include: 

1.        A roadmap. 

2.        A final research report that documents the entire research effort and findings. 

3.        Prioritized recommendations for future research. 

4.        A PowerPoint presentation with presenter’s notes summarizing the research findings. 

5.        A stand-alone technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products”. 

 

STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP. The project panel will meet to select a contractor to perform the work.

 

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