Sheriff's department taking part in Target Zero

To The Eagle:

The Wahkiakum County Sheriff’s Office would like to announce that September 7-9, sheriff’s deputies will be participating in the statewide grant funded program through the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, known as Target Zero.

In the years 2012 through 2014, 1,336 people died on Washington State Roads and 6,123 people were seriously injured. The personal, financial and societal costs are huge. No one should suffer the loss of their friend, family member, or coworker.

"Target Zero" is a plan to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on Washington's roadways to zero by the year 2030. One of the plan's five strategies is to educate the general public about traffic safety importance and focus in areas that have a high number of fatalities and injuries.

The focus is also on the driving behaviors that are found to lead to fatalities within Washington State, as well as our very own county. This emphasis reinforces that driving drunk, speeding, non-attentiveness on rural roads, and other behaviors are so serious, that law enforcement will be acting accordingly.

This emphasis has nothing to do with any directive to issue a quota of tickets. It is proven that traffic fatalities have been falling over the years, and serious traffic enforcement is one reason why.

The men and women of the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's office are not under any instruction to meet ticket quotas. They will continue to utilize their discretion in writing infractions. Traffic and community safety is the number one goal. Lets get to Zero!"

Sheriff Mark Howie

Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office