The 2012 “Operation Pull Over” awards were recently handed out, with some area authorities among the recipients. Ryan Klitzsch, Director of Traffic Safety with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, says Steve Rudzinski, with the St. John's Police Department, won the prestigious “Coordinator of the Year” award, for his tremendous administration efforts managing 13 police departments for “Operation Pull Over” and over 18 police departments for D-U-I in Lake County, as well as emphasizing high-visibility enforcement efforts in Lake County. Meanwhile the Lake Station and Merrillville Police Departments won two of three Big City/ Big County Police Department awards for working sustained, year-round enforcement to enhance safety in their communities. Klitzsch says as a result of these efforts, Indiana is making significant strides in traffic safety, including a current seat belt usage record of 93-point-six percent, and that these agencies and others partnering with Operation Pull Over will be conducting a “Safe Family Travel Blitz” starting this Friday through December 2^nd.

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