FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2016
MEDIA CONTACTS
Jared Touchin (928) 221-9253
Jolene Holgate (928) 380-4174
Crystalyne Curley (928) 286-7918
[email protected]
ArizonaDepartmentofPublicSafetyaddressesseatbelt
safetyandgangviolencewiththeLawandOrderCommittee
PHOTO:ArizonaDepartmentofPublicSafetyreportstotheLawandOrderCommitteeinWindowRock,
ArizonaonJuly28,2016.
WINDOWROCK–OnThursday,theLawandOrderCommitteereceivedareportfromtheArizona
DepartmentofPublicSafetyregardingissuesandconcernsrelatedtopublicsafetyandtrafficlaws
pertainingtotheuseofseatbeltsontheNavajoNation.
OnJuly21duringthe2016SummerCouncilSession,AZDPSDistrictThreeCommanderGary
Phelps,Jr.deliveredareporttothe23rdNavajoNationCouncilregardingtheincreaseofseatbelt
injuriesandfatalitycollisionsontheNavajoNation.LOCmembersrecommendedAZDPSto
provideamoredetailedreportincludingstatistics.
AccordingtoCommanderPhelps,AZDPSofficersonlypatrolhighwayswithrightaway,suchasUS191,US-163,SR-98,SR-264,andI-40.In2014,AZDPSrecorded29collisioninjuriesandcollision
fatalitiesinwhichvictimswerenotusingseatbelts.In2015,thenumberofinjuriesandfatalities
grewto90,a210-percentincrease.
LOCmemberCouncilDelegateKeeAllenBegay,Jr.(LowMountain,ManyFarms,Nazlini,
Tachee/BlueGap,Tselani/Cottonwood)urgedtheNavajoNationDivisionofPublicSafetyto
increasetheenforcementofseatbeltusage.
“WhoistakingthisinitiativeatNNDPS?Thisisfrustratingbecauseanoutsidedepartmentofthe
Nationhastotellusthatwehaveaproblemhere.WeneedrecommendationsfromNNDPSto
reinforcetrafficlawsontheNation,”statedDelegateBegay.
NNDPSexecutivedirectorJesseDelmarstatedthatdriversareresponsibleforusingtheir
seatbeltsandthatNNDPSisdoingwhattheycantopromoteseatbeltusage.Healsostatedthat
theNationneedstoestablishseatbeltlawsthatareenforceable.
“ThestatisticsfromAZDPStellsmethattheNationhasamajorseatbeltproblem.My
recommendationistostartusingthemediaandbillboardstobringseatbeltawarenessbecause
weneedtoensurethesafetyofourpeopleandchildren.OurNationneedstostartbucklingup,”
statedLOCvicechairCouncilDelegateRaymondSmith,Jr.(Houck,Klagetoh,NahataDziil,TséSi
áni,WideRuins).
LOCmemberCouncilDelegateOttoTso(TóNaneesDizi)statedthattheNationshouldestablish
stricterlawsandincreasetrafficfeestodetertrafficviolations.
LOCmemberCouncilDelegateHermanDaniels,Jr.(Shonto,Naa’tsis’Áán,Oljato,Ts’ahBiiKin)
recommendedfortheNewMexicoDepartmentofPublicSafety,UtahDepartmentofPublic
Safety,andtheAlamoandRamahPoliceDepartmentstoprovideasimilarreporttodetermineif
thereisacorrelationininjuriesandfatalitycollisionsresultingfromthelackofseatbeltusage.
AZDPSwillincreasepatrolonspeedingandseatbeltrestraintsontheNationandwillcoordinate
withNNDPSontheinitiative,addedCommanderPhelps
LOCmembersandAZDPSalsodiscussedapossiblepartnershiptoaddressgangviolenceinthe
ruralcommunityofPinon,anissuethattheLOCcontinuestofocuson.
AZDPSFBITaskForcedetectiveKevinClaridgesaidtherehasbeenadrasticincreaseofgang
activityandviolenceinPinonandsurroundingcommunities.ThegoalofAZDPSistocreatea
partnershipwithNNDPSandtheFBItopursueaproactiveapproach,addedDetectiveClaridge.
“ThereisacriticalneedforapolicedistrictinPinon.IamthankfulthatAZDPShasalsoidentified
thatthereisagangproblem.NNDPSneedstodosomethingtoaddresstheproblem.The
committee’sgoalistocreateapolicedistrict,”addedDelegateBegay.
LOCmemberswillcontinuediscussionswithAZDPStomoveforwardwithdevelopingand
establishingapartnershiptocombatgangviolenceinthecommunityofPinon.TheLawandOrder
Committeeapprovedthereportwitha4-0vote.
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