With the number of people injured in traffic collisions each year in Stockbridge in the hundreds, the Stockbridge Police Department hopes to continue to reduce traffic accidents. The department has launched a traffic safety campaign to target distracted driving, reckless driving, driving under the influence and speeding – the four leading causes of traffic accidents in Georgia.

“Our city has grown rapidly, and with that growth, we’ve seen a significant rise in traffic accidents, particularly along Interstate 75,” said Stockbridge Police Chief Frank Trammer, who helped launch the department in July 2022. “We are committed to reducing these numbers through a strategic, data-driven approach that prioritizes enforcement where it’s needed most while educating the public on safe driving practices.”

Team members from the department’s 86 employees, including 67 sworn officers, are conducting traffic studies, analyzing data and targeting locations where they see the most collisions in the city’s 14 square miles. They also are launching videos and flyers, holding educational sessions and building community relationships to help aid their plan.

“This isn’t about issuing citations indiscriminately,” emphasized Trammer, who previously worked in Atlanta and Sandy Springs and at the Georgia Institute of Technology over the last 25 years. “It’s about strategic enforcement—identifying problem areas and addressing the root causes of these accidents. The goal is to reduce, eliminate, or mitigate these risks, ultimately making our roads safer.”

They plan to hold safe driver town halls and have organized a 12-person advisory council representing different parts of the community to meet with the Chief each month.

“(The council) has exposed me to Chief Trammer’s established policies and procedures resulting in both qualified and respectful officers that interact with the public daily,” says member Judy Neal, who has helped distribute flyers and videos. “Also, serving has given me the opportunity, on behalf of the police department, to create a Safe Driving Movement.”

The department has implemented traffic cameras in school zones and continues to coordinate with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety on different initiatives and partnerships.

“We as a department want to partner with our community to keep it safe,” Trammer said, adding that it’s similar to how they look at crime rates and repeat issues. “It’s a community-wide effort — the more eyes we have out there, the better we can respond to situations.”

The department also is implementing a community feedback survey on its website and social media to respond to concerns of the community.

“While we rely on data and reports to identify trends and concerns, community input is essential in helping us address issues that may not always be reflected in the numbers,” said Trammer, adding that quality-of-life issues like traffic are something he and his team are addressing to keep the community safe. “We are committed to strengthening our feedback mechanisms to ensure residents have an easy way to share concerns with us.”

By Michelle Floyd