Santa Monica Police Department Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks congratulates Santa Monica Police Officer Jason Olson for receiving the California Office of Traffic Safety Excellence Award at the Public Safety Facility on August 15, 2012. Officer Olson’s work has served the Santa Monica community well, helping to lower alcohol involved deaths and injuries, training department personnel on driving under the influence detection, serving as a traffic collision investigator as well as using his expertise as a Drug Recognition Expert for identifying individuals driving under the influence of narcotics.  His efforts are why the Office of Traffic Safety is honoring him.   Earlier this year Officer Olson was recognized by the Los Angeles Chapter of MADD for his efforts in arrests of individuals driving while impaired.  In 2011 Officer Olson arrested 60 individuals that were driving while impaired.

California’s law enforcement community must set ambitious goals for traffic safety enforcement and education.  Police department officials have unprecedented responsibilities to prevent traffic fatalities which now occur at the rate of one every two hours, to reduce the number of serious injuries resulting from traffic collisions, and to positively impact the spiraling emergency services and health care costs.