The Tift County Sheriff’s Office was honored Friday in the courtroom of the Tift County Law Enforcement Center with a third place 2007 National law Enforcement Challenge Award. The International Association Chiefs of Police (IACP) sponsors the awards and the director of the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) presented the award Friday.

“We’re honored to see the Tift County Sheriff’s Office receive this award,” GOHS Director Bob Dallas said. “This means the Annual IACP national law Enforcement Challenge has once again recognized the office as a national winner among all competing sheriff’s agencies from across the country.”

Dallas commended the TCSO for its “proactive approach using innovative highway safety initiatives to protect the citizens of Tift County.” This year’s honor marks the fourth consecutive year the department has been recognized by IACP.

The Annual IACP National Law Enforcement Challenge is designed to recognize the efforts of law enforcement agencies that save lives on highways by increasing safety belt usage, slowing down speeders and reducing impaired and aggressive driving. The award is also in recognition of the agency’s highway safety officer training, public information and education initiatives and innovative public safety programs.

The TCSO was also recognized this year by the National Sheriff’s Association in the “Special Categories” division with a Child Passenger Safety Award for its efforts to promote child safety seat and booster seat awareness and enforcing the child safety and booster seat law.

Tift County also won statewide honors for its Occupant Protection Program at the 2007 Georgia Governor’s Challenge Awards last year.

To contact senior reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.