The Dearborn Police Department is honored to announce that its Motor Carrier Unit was selected by the United States Department of Transportation to be guest speakers at the 3rd Annual Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration/Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program’s Leadership Conference. The conference took place March 24-26, 2008 in Denver, Colorado and focused on commercial vehicle safety programs across North America.

The Dearborn Police Motor Carrier Unit was selected to speak during the “Best State Practices” in enforcement and safety portion of the conference and discussed a commercial vehicle construction zone speed/traffic enforcement initiative which took place in 2006. At that time, the Motor Carrier Unit partnered with Michigan State Police and selected times and locations to perform traffic enforcement and safety inspections on north bound Southfield Freeway. The success of this initiative was instrumental in the Motor Carrier Unit winning both the 2006 Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police “Award for Excellence in Commercial Vehicle Safety” as well as the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 2006 National Law Enforcement Challenge for Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety. The winning safety programs are those that combine officer training, public information and enforcement to reduce crashes and injuries within its jurisdiction.

Police Chief Mike Celeski stated that," The large truck fatality crash rate is currently the lowest it's ever been since the U.S. government began tracking this figure in 1974. Additionally, 2006 saw a nearly 5% drop in large truck related fatalities. The efforts of our Motor Carrier Unit have been instrumental in helping to keep these numbers as low as possible.”

Officers Tim Stacy and Chris Brayman of the Motor Carrier Unit traveled to the conference as guests of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to present their safety initiatives to an audience of State, Federal and Canadian Commercial Vehicle Safety Administrators from across North America.

Future related initiatives are already planned for 2008 and include: “Operation Road Check” in June, “Operation Brake Safety” in September.

Dearborn Police Motor Carrier Unit

Winner of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 2006 National Law Enforcement Challenge for Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement

The Dearborn Police Department’s Motor Carrier Unit is the winner of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 2006 National Law Enforcement Challenge for Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety. The Dearborn Police Department was the only police agency to win the award in the commercial vehicle category. This achievement is truly a great honor for the City of Dearborn. The Law Enforcement Challenge is a competition between similar sizes and types of law enforcement agencies. It recognizes and rewards the best overall traffic safety programs in the United States. The areas of concentration include efforts to enforce laws and educate the public about occupant protection, impaired driving, and speeding. Departments submit an application (usually in a three ring or presentation binder) which documents their agency's efforts and effectiveness in these areas. The winning safety programs are those that combine officer training, public information and enforcement to reduce crashes and injuries within its jurisdiction.

Capt. Robert R. Powers, Jr.,Commander of the Michigan State Police Traffic Safety Division, stated, “I am personally very appreciative of the leadership and proactive enforcement activities in the commercial vehicle arena that your agency has consistently shown. As a result of the efforts of Dearborn Police and other law enforcement agencies across the state, Michigan currently enjoys one of the best truck safety records in our nation”.

The Dearborn Police Motor Carrier Unit was recognized and presented with an award during the IACP Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA in October 2007.

The Dearborn Police Motor Carrier Unit was most recently recognized as winner of the 2006 Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police “Award for Excellence in Commercial Vehicle Safety” at an award ceremony in Grand Rapids, MI. The Motor Carrier Unit, under the direction of Patrol Commander Joe Doulette, is staffed by: Unit OIC Sgt. Michael B. DeLaney, Cpl. Michael E. Nelson, Ofc. Christopher A. Brayman and Ofc. Timothy T. Stacy.