HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER
2004
AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 3, 2004
FINAL REPORT
Sonny PerdueRobert Dallas
Governor Director
Hands Across The Border 2004
“Hands Across The Border 2004” program was conducted Sunday, August 29-Friday, September 3, 2004. This program is an outstanding opportunity for Law Enforcement Officers of adjoining states to partner with each other to make a commitment to save lives on ALL our roadways. The event serves as a kick off to the Labor Day “Operation Zero Tolerance” impaired driving mobilization. During the events, law enforcement sends the message to the motoring public that traffic laws will be strictly enforced from state to state in an effort to save lives during the deadly Labor Day Holiday period.
HATB traditionally is a series of media events at Welcome Centers around the state borders. Law Enforcement Officers from each state come together for a special program at the GeorgiaWelcomeCenterfollowed by a motorcade to the adjoining state’s welcome center for a continuation of the program. The highlight of the program is the handshake between two Law Enforcement officers from either side of the state lines, pledging their cooperation to work together in reducing fatalities and serious injuries during the holiday. The night before the HATB news conference, the two state’s law enforcement agencies come together for multi state Sobriety Checkpoints or Saturation Patrols. Capt. Tom Isreal and the Clayton County Police Department BAT Mobile assisted with the Sobriety Checkpoints with GOHS PIO Jim Shuler beginning in Savannah on the South Carolina border and continuing north and west to Bremen on the Alabama border. Sgt. Leonard Bell and the Albany Police Department BAT Mobile assisted with the Sobriety Checkpoints with GOHS Special Operations Director Ricky Rich and Southwest LEL Tony Bobbitt beginning in Columbus on the Alabama Border and continuing south and east to St. Mary’s on the Florida border.
Even though the 13th Annual Hands Across the Border Program was plagued with a Hurricane and inclement weather, it was a still a tremendous success with approximately 400 officers representing almost 100 Georgia law enforcement agencies participating in the Sobriety Checkpoints and 436 officers representing 126 law enforcement agencies participating in the HATB media events. The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety Special Operations Division with the assistance of the LEL’s and Traffic Enforcement Network Coordinator’s and Assistant Coordinators, coordinated nine media events and seven sobriety checkpoints in five days and six nights. Two of the scheduled sobriety checkpoints were called off due to inclement weather. The HATB event scheduled for I-95 at the Georgia/Florida border was also called off due to evacuation efforts relating to Hurricane Frances. As indicated in the enforcement data chart, 239 cases were made including 16 DUI’s, 24 Seatbelt citations, 9 Child Restraint Citations, 23 Suspended or Revoked Drivers license, and13 Drug arrests, A total of -forty sevennews agencies covered the HATB 2004checkcheck points and news conferences. Numerous news stories were generated throughout the state.
The Department of Motor Vehicle Safety predicted that 19 lives would be lost on Georgia’s roadways during the 2004 Labor Day Holiday period. Despite inclement weather during the period, through relentless high visibility enforcement,massive statewide earned media, and a successful Hands Across the Border initiative our actual fatality count for the Labor Day 2004 holiday period was 13, six under prediction.
Southern Team
GOHS Special Operations Director Ricky Rich, MADD Kelly Carlson, SW LELTony Bobbitt, SW Coordinator Leonard Bell, MADD Grant Hawkins
GOHS Director Bob Dallas and NHTSA Regional Program Manager Belinda Jackson at the Georgia/Tennessee, I-75 HATB
13TH ANNUAL HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER
AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 3, 2004
ENFORCEMENT & MEDIA EVENT SCHEDULE
All Hands Across the Border (HATB) media events will begin at 10:00 AM at the Georgia Welcome Centers unless otherwise noted.
All Sobriety Checkpoints (SCP) will begin at 8:00 PM unless otherwise noted.
All Interstate Speed Enforcement initiatives will begin at 1:00 PM unless otherwise noted.
Sunday, August 29, 2004
7:00 PM- West Central Traffic Enforcement Network
Meeting & Checkpoint Briefing
Columbus Police Department
8:00 PM- SCP-Columbus/Phoenix City- 13th Street Bridge. (GA/ALA)
Contact: Sgt. Clyde Dent, Columbus Police Department
Office: 706 225-4041, Mobile: 706 681-3432
6:00 PM- Southeast Traffic Enforcement Network
Meeting & Checkpoint Briefing
Port Wentworth Recreation Dept. Gym
8:00 PM- SCP-Savannah- Savannah River Bridge-US 17 (GA/SC)
Contact: Sgt. Powell Harrelson, Pooler Police Department
Office: 912 748-7333, Mobile: 888 891-5920
Monday, August 30, 2004
10:00 AM- HATB Columbus- I-185 (GA/ALA)
10:00 AM- HATB Savannah- I-95 (GA/SC)
6:00 PM- East Central Traffic Enforcement Network
Meeting & Checkpoint Briefing
RichmondCounty Southside Precinct
Southgate Shopping Plaza
8:00PM-SCP-Augusta-13thStreetBridge (GA/SC)
Contact: Chief David Hannah, Wrens Police Department
Office: 706 547-3000, Mobile: 706 214-1021
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
10:00 AM (Ala. Time)- HATB- Highway 231, AlabamaWelcomeCenter, Outside Dothan, Ala./Campbellton, Fla. (FL/ALA/GA)
10:00 AM HATB- Augusta I-20 (GA/SC)
6:00 PM- Southwest Traffic Enforcement Network
Meeting & Checkpoint Briefing
JB’s Barbeque, GA 319
8:00 PMSCP-US 319 at Florida line (GA/FLA)
Contact: Lt. Leonard Bell, Albany Police Department
Office: 229 431-3279, Pager: 229 250-6671
8:00 PMSCP-US 441 at North Carolina line (GA/NC)
Contact: Lt. Jeff Harris, Gainesville Police Department
Office: 770 531-2667, Cell: 678 410-7262
Wednesday, September 1, 2004
10:00 AM- HATB & Crash Reenactment- LawtonChiles High School, Tallahassee, Fla., US 319, Conclude on Georgia Side at JB’s Barbeque. (GA/FLA)
10:00 AM-HATB-US 441 Georgia/North Carolina (GA/NC)
1:00 PM- Speed Enforcement Initiative, US 319- Tifton, Ga. to FloridaCoast. (GA/FLA)
7:00 PM- Southern Region Traffic Enforcement Network
Meeting & Checkpoint Briefing
Farmhouse Restaurant, LakePark
8:00 PM- SCP- Echols County (GA/FLA)
Contact: Sheriff Randy Courson
Office: 229 559-5603, Mobile: 877-854-0872
8:00 PM- SCP- Highway 71, WhitfieldCounty Area. (GA/TN)
Contact: Sgt. Don Stultz, GeorgiaState Patrol
Office: 706 638-5501, Pager: 706 236-6507
Thursday, September 2, 2004
10:00 AM- HATB- I-75, LakePark (GA/FLA)
10:00 AM- HATB- I-75, TennesseeWelcomeCenter, Conclude at GeorgiaWelcomeCenter. (GA/TN)
1:00 PM- Speed Enforcement Initiative, I-75- Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida.
8:00 PM- SCP- Camden County Area (GA/FLA)
Contact: Lt. Luther Hires, Jesup PD
Office: 912 427-1300, Mobile: 912 286-7336
7:30 PM- Checkpoint Briefing
Old Bremen Walmart on Old Highway 27
8:00 PM- SCP- I-20, Bremen Exit (GA/ALA)
Contact: Sgt. Greg Holcomb, Carroll Co. Sheriff’s Office
Office: 770 214-3596, Pager: 800 312-4658
Friday, September 3, 2004
10:00 AM- HATB- I-95- FloridaWelcomeCenter, Conclude at the GeorgiaWelcomeCenter. (GA/FLA)
10:00 AM- HATB- I-20, CarrollCounty. (GA/ALA)
1:00 PM- Speed Enforcement Initiative, I-95-North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida.
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