April 27th, 2023 by WCBC Radio

The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office this week honored 81 officers from 24 agencies across the state as Traffic Safety Specialists. This recognition honors the officers’ commitment and contributions to traffic safety in 2022. In total, 72 officers received a Level I Traffic Safety Specialist designation, eight officers received a Level II designation, and one officer received a Level III designation.

The statewide Traffic Safety Specialist program recognizes officers who have attained distinct levels of experience, training and proficiency in highway safety and traffic enforcement methods and procedures. The program is a collaborative effort between the MVA’s Highway Safety Office, the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association and the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association.

“I’m very proud of all of the officers who took the initiative to earn their Traffic Safety Specialist designation,” said Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Wes Moore’s Highway Safety Representative. “Providing our law enforcement partners with highway safety education and proper training plays a critical role in our efforts to eliminate deaths on Maryland roadways.”

To develop effective solutions that address local and statewide traffic safety, law enforcement agencies must have personnel who are highly skilled in traffic safety. The Traffic Safety Specialist program offers a framework providing officers an opportunity to receive credit and recognition for their skills and contributions.

Established in 2008, the Traffic Safety Specialist program is available to all police officers, deputy sheriffs and state troopers across Maryland, as well as those serving federal law enforcement agencies. The program offers Level I, Level II and Level III designations, each requiring specific levels of experience, training, job performance and skills proficiency. Specialized requirements, such as Speed Detection Device certification, Standardized Field Sobriety Test certification and participation in High Visibility Enforcement campaigns are examples of specifications needed to achieve one of the three Traffic Safety Specialist levels. To be eligible, officers must enroll in the program and submit required documentation for the level they are working toward. Level III requires an extensive traffic safety project, which must be reviewed and approved by the Executive Committee comprised of current and retired law enforcement officers.

Nearly 1,000 officers throughout Maryland have earned Traffic Safety Specialist Designation since the program’s inception. Agencies with Traffic Safety Specialist officers designated in 2022 include: