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The Oxnard Police Department has been named the winner of the prestigious California Law Enforcement Challenge Award. This award is sponsored by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in partnership with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and the California Office of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC).

The California Law Enforcement Challenge is a competition between similar sized and types of law enforcement agencies. This award recognizes and rewards the best overall traffic safety programs in California. The areas of concentration include efforts to enforce laws and educate the public about occupant protection, impaired driving and speed. Agencies submit an application which documents their efforts and effectiveness in these areas. The winning safety programs are those that combine officer training, public information and enforcement to reduce crashes and injuries within its jurisdiction.

A panel of traffic safety experts from across the country review each application and assign points based on the criteria. After the judging, the scores are averaged and a final score assigned. After all of the applications are scored, the agencies are ranked in their categories. A minimum of 50 points must be earned to receive an award. There may be categories where no awards will be presented due to either a lack of entries or not enough agencies achieving a minimum score. All judges are independent members of the law enforcement community, public safety, and corporate partners who have demonstrated advance knowledge of highway safety initiatives.

The California Law Enforcement Challenge program allows law enforcement agencies to set comprehensive goals, to strive to reach new heights in traffic safety, to share their experiences with others, and to be recognized for their traffic safety accomplishments; in short, to make a difference in the communities their officers serve each day. This competition has no losers – only winners: for saving lives and reducing the frequency and severity of injuries are the true rewards of law enforcement’s efforts.

The Oxnard Police Department captured first place in the category for departments with 161 to 250 sworn personnel. Second place went to the Moreno Valley Police Department and third to the Ontario Police Department. All agencies who receive traffic safety grant funding are required to submit an entry to the Challenge. In 2006, the Oxnard Police Department captured third place.

Beginning in April of 2008 Oxnard Police Department Traffic Unit officers used a community oriented policing and problem-solving (COPPS) approach to traffic collision reduction. Officers focused on locations experiencing a high incidence of traffic collision, conducted analysis as to why these locations were problematic, and crafted responses that utilized not only enforcement but public education and engineering as well. Also key was the Patrol Division’s emphasis on traffic enforcement; again in problematic locations. Subsequently, Oxnard has experienced significant reductions in collisions, injury collisions and DUI-related collisions.

2 years ago the agency won the coveted James Q. Wilson Award for its efforts in COPPS (read story). It is with a great deal of pride that the men and women of the Oxnard Police Department accept the California Law Enforcement Challenge Award for 2008.

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On Friday October 9, 2009 at 1115 hours, members of the Oxnard Police Department responded to EO Green Middle School after a threatening telephone call was received at the school. As a precaution, the school was placed on a lock-down and a search of the school was conducted by police officers and school staff. When it was determined that the school was safe, the lock-down was released and classes resumed.

An investigation into the call received by the school is continuing.