For the second year in a row, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office won first place in its division at the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety 13th Annual Governor’s Challenge Awards. An annual recognition program of law enforcement agencies of all sizes and from all over the state, the program featured recognition in seven categories based on department size, as well as several other specialty categories. Forsyth County won first place in the 251-500 officers category, defending its title from last year’s challenge. The agency also received the motorcycle safety award for the second year in a row in the specialty category. In addition, the office was recognized for achievement at this year’s National Law Enforcement Challenge, where it took first place in the 251-500 sheriff’s deputies category and the motorcycle safety award. Designed to honor achievement in highway safety enforcement and education, the awards recognize agencies for the approach and effectiveness of their overall highway safety programs. Powell Harrelson, director of law enforcement services for the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, praised the winners.“For more than a decade, we’ve been rewarding those law enforcement agencies who, no matter their size, do their very best and more to keep their roads and highways as safe as possible for their community,” he said in a statement. Agencies are evaluated not just for enforcement initiatives, but for innovative problem-solving in their communities, using public information activities and creating departmental policies that support their traffic enforcement campaign efforts. In a statement, GOHS Director Harris Blackwood congratulated Forsyth County Sheriff Duane Piper and his “dedicated group of deputies.”“This recognition just goes to show how dedicated they are to protecting and serving their community,” he said. Also honored during the Governor’s Challenge Awards at the Macon Centreplex was Georgia State Patrol’s Troop B, which won first place for the second year in a row. Troop B covers Forsyth and many other counties, including Dawson, Hall and Lumpkin.
For the second year in a row, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office won first place in its division at the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety 13th Annual Governor’s Challenge Awards. An annual recognition program of law enforcement agencies of all sizes and from all over the state, the program featured recognition in seven categories based on department size, as well as several other specialty categories. Forsyth County won first place in the 251-500 officers category, defending its title from last year’s challenge. The agency also received the motorcycle safety award for the second year in a row in the specialty category. In addition, the office was recognized for achievement at this year’s National Law Enforcement Challenge, where it took first place in the 251-500 sheriff’s deputies category and the motorcycle safety award. Designed to honor achievement in highway safety enforcement and education, the awards recognize agencies for the approach and effectiveness of their overall highway safety programs. Powell Harrelson, director of law enforcement services for the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, praised the winners.“For more than a decade, we’ve been rewarding those law enforcement agencies who, no matter their size, do their very best and more to keep their roads and highways as safe as possible for their community,” he said in a statement. Agencies are evaluated not just for enforcement initiatives, but for innovative problem-solving in their communities, using public information activities and creating departmental policies that support their traffic enforcement campaign efforts. In a statement, GOHS Director Harris Blackwood congratulated Forsyth County Sheriff Duane Piper and his “dedicated group of deputies.”“This recognition just goes to show how dedicated they are to protecting and serving their community,” he said. Also honored during the Governor’s Challenge Awards at the Macon Centreplex was Georgia State Patrol’s Troop B, which won first place for the second year in a row. Troop B covers Forsyth and many other counties, including Dawson, Hall and Lumpkin.