Smyrna Police Officer Completes GPSTC Course

Officer Brendi Streifthau of the Smyrna Police Department completed a LIDAR SPEED Measurement course taught by the Georgia Police Academy Division of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth.

Speed consistently ranks as one of the top five contributing factors resulting in serious injury and fatality incidents.

In 2012, 34 percent of all motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared with 22 percent for drivers of passenger cars, 18 percent for light truck drivers, and 8 percent for large truck drivers, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

This course provides officers the necessary training to become instructors on the proper use of LIDAR speed detection devices in compliance with NHTSA standards. Students are also given instruction for training new operators on procedures for setting up the LIDAR and conducting a check for accuracy, in accordance to manufactures recommendation, Georgia Law, and NHTSA standards.

Training and proactive enforcement will enable law enforcement to have an impact on reducing these speed related incidents and ultimately saving lives.

Funding for this program has been provided by the State of Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.