Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott presented today new equipment for the fight to make our neighborhoods safer.

Sheriff Lott unveiled two new 2008 Harley Davidson motorcycles during a press conference held today -- the Sheriff demonstrated the motorcycles in the shadows of two school buses. The press conference was held with the school buses as a visual reminder of safe driving in our school zones and neighborhoods which is where the Traffic Safety Unit spends the majority of their time. Sheriff Lott  stated the deputies of the Traffic Safety Unit will utilize these motorcycles to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods through the reduction of traffic collisions and fatalities through enforcement and education -- The Traffic Safety Unit will utilize the motorcycles to increase awareness to the need for our citizens to drive more safely in our communities.    

Sheriff Leon Lott stated that the Richland County Traffic Safety Unit is comprised of seven full-time deputies that perform various tasks, ranging from enforcement efforts to education. It is the mission of the Traffic Safety Unit to enhance roadway safety within Richland County by positively altering driver behavior -- while Traffic Safety Unit deputies issue citations, to include written and verbal warnings, they attend community meetings, conduct school presentations and other educational seminars to increase citizen awareness and knowledge of traffic safety and laws.     

Sheriff Leon Lott concluded by saying the Sheriff’s Department’s website, www.rcsd.net, contains additional traffic and driver safety information and also links you to contact the Traffic Safety Unit for educational information and programs to your church, community group or school.

     Fiscal year 2006 and 2007 Traffic Safety Unit Statistics: