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For years, the Clayton Police Department has been overwhelmed with the amount of traffic on Highway 70 and the need for officers to fulfill community demands during peak traffic hours.  Last year, the department pursued various grants in the hopes of receiving additional officers, vehicles and possibly starting a motorcycle squad.  After looking at Clayton's statistics, one of the Governor's programs, The Governor's Highway Safety Program, responded and granted the Clayton Police Department almost a quarter million dollars.

This new money has allowed the department to utilize five officers, three for the brand new Crown Victorias and an additional two for the motorcycles purchased by the department.  Candidates for the motorcycle squad were taken from within the station and Sergeant Gerrell and Officer Casey were chosen to fulfill these new duties based on their previous motorcycle experience.  These two officers were required to attend a two-week training session at the Northwestern Traffic Institute where they received training and underwent extensive examinations to receive their certifications.  Both of Clayton's officers received a one hundred percentile on the challenging riding exam, the only two to receive a perfect score among their classmates for this part of the exam.

Officer Owens, Officer Harvey and long-standing traffic officer, Officer Fuquay, will be utilizing the Crown Victorias, assisting with accidents and speed enforcement.  All four of the new vehicles will free line officers for more pro-active activities and help meet the needs of the community more efficiently.  These new additions have also allowed the Clayton Police to expand their department and employ additional officers to fulfill the spots these newly trained/assigned officers have left behind.

Overall, this grant has allowed the Clayton Police to offer more services to the community due to department expansion and additional vehicles.  So do not be alarmed when you see two officers cruising the area on motorcycles.  Just remember, they have improved your safety and convenience and received perfect scores in the process.

Lyndsay Mack
Staff writer

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