Drinking and Driving - We should adopt some of the penalties utilized in other countries

Drunk driving is the leading cause of death of young people ages 15-24. An alcohol related motor vehicle crash kills someone every 31 minutes and non-fatally injures someone every 2 minutes (NHTSA 2004)

On Friday and Saturday nights, 1 out of every 10 drivers are drunk.

Drunk driving is the #1 traffic safety problem across the nation.

There are more that 25,000 Americans that die yearly as a result of drunk driving.

Drugs other than alcohol (e.g.: marijuana and cocaine) are involved in about 18% of motor vehicle driver deaths. These other drugs are generally used in combination with alcohol. (NHTSA 1993)

Each year, alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost about $51 billion.

Drunk Driving Penalties

Let's consider the penalties of some of these countries to adopt here. Personally, I'm leaning towards the one for San Salvador & Bulgaria.

Australia: The names of the drunk drivers are sent to the local newspapers. It is printed under the heading "He's Drunk and in Jail."

Malaysia: The drunk driver is jailed. If he is married, his wife goes to jail with him.

South Africa: The drunk driver is given a 10 year sentence, a fine of $10,000 or both.

Norway: The penalty is 3 weeks in jail at hard labor and 1 year loss of license. The second offense within 5 years, the license is revoked.

England: 1 year supervision and a $250.00 fine and 1 year in jail.

France: 3 year loss of license, 1 year in jail and a $1,000.00 fine.

Poland: Jail, fine and enforced attendance at political lectures.

Finland & Sweden: Drunk drivers serve 1 year in jail.

Turkey: Drunk drivers have a long journey ahead of them. Police take them 20 miles from town and force them to walk back.

San Salvador & Bulgaria: The drunk driver is given another chance. He isn't executed until his second offense.

Courtesy of the Lebanon, Ohio PD @ City of Lebanon, Ohio, U.S.A.

And A Little Child Shall Lead Them

I guess at some time in our lives, we all reach the point where we must go through that rite of passage, that pivotal point that signifies once you take one more step you become the "older" generation. When you do, that moment in time is invariably characterized by looking at the members of generations to follow with a healthy dose of trepidation and some despair when you realize that these are the people who will take over for us. These are the boys and girls who will become the men and women who will walk our streets with shields and guns. They will occupy the halls and offices that comprise our political system. They will be our doctors, our nurses, our firemen, our police officers, our lawyers, our judges, our teachers....our leaders.


I know for a fact that the parents of those in my own generation shook their heads in dismay and alarm at the teenagers who were either swooning or trying to emulate the likes of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Elvis, the Beatles, and...yes, even The Monkees. But as I look around me today, we didn't do so badly. There are certainly things that we could have done better had we known then what we know now, but that is the way of life. It is true that hindsight is twenty-twenty. But all in all, not as bad as our parents surely suspected.

So now it's my turn and I look out at the world today and see the violence, the drugs, the apathy, and the nightly dose of kids killing kids and I'm sure that the dismay and alarm I feel are very much akin to that of our parents.

But...then along comes stories like the two here. You read things like this and you see the good that's out there, the children with caring hearts and open minds, and then you start to figure it out. In today's world, the media as a whole jumps on any story related to a police officer or even a politician that has the slightest hint of impropriety or the smallest of missteps and it becomes headline news for days on end with complete and utter destruction of the "offending" person's character, often without real proof. There are exceptions. There are specific stations that seem to make it a point to not slant stories for sensationalism and take care not to slander the parties involved with unfounded allegations. These are the same outlets that take care to tell just as many good stories as bad ones. KRTV is one such station.

So as I read these, it began to dawn on me that the sensationalistic approach of reporting is not limited to the stories surrounding law enforcement officers or politicians. It goes across the board. Yes there are kids killing kids. Yes, gangs and drugs are rampant in our society today. That's the "big news". But there is so much more. For every kid struggling and taking the wrong path, there are a lot more who aren't. There are a lot more who are like the ones in these articles. In understanding that, I came to peace with the fact that these kids will be our nation's leaders one day. We could all learn a lesson from them to say the least.

Will I still worry about them taking over? Well...maybe a little. Any parent who has ever handed the car keys to a teenager will understand why.

Please take the time to view these two stories. If they don't give you some level of optimism about the coming generations, maybe they will at least touch your heart a little.

Belt students work hard, go shopping to help other kids - KRTV
Foothills students donate to Great Falls Rescue Mission - KRTV
 
Written: December 17, 2009

50 Years of Service to the Public Celebration at the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum

The night of December 3, 2009 was a historic night in many respects. A celebration was held dedicating the night to the milestone that marked 50 years of service to the public by the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum. It was also a night that will be the first of many that displayed the dedication of those who work for and the members of both the Original Facebook Cause “A Tribute To Those Who Wear The Shield” and “Families of the Shield”. As important as those two facets of the celebration were, there was an honor that was given to our very own John Pasko, and at the same time given by him; a moment in time that will live in his memory forever, as it will in ours.

For those who do not know, John served on the local DEA CLET (Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team) for many years and was one of the original five in Brevard County, Florida who was DEA certified. At that time, Brevard County was rated among the highest in the state for production of Methamphetamine). Soon after being trained in Quantico, Virginia at the FBI/DEA Academy for the detection and investigation of the drug, Brevard County formulated their team and they became the #1 state for the detection and dismantling of these dangerous labs and operations. There were many accolades received during those operations for the continuing efforts of the Melbourne Police Department for a job well done and its strong bond with the community it is dedicated to serve.

On the night of this momentous celebration, John Pasko donated his uniform from those days to the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum where it will remain on permanent display as an example of those who devote their lives to the service of others as he has done.

The uniform and the accompanying photograph represent only a portion of his life of service, but are at the heart of what it means to be a peace officer and devote your life to serving those you swore to protect. It is a wonderful honor to have that photograph and uniform on permanent display for all to see and we are very proud of him. I’m quite sure that he would tell you that while being extremely moved, honored, and proud, he was also very humbled by it…because those of us who know John know that he’s about giving…not about recognition. We’re very proud of you, John. Many congratulations on this honor, and many thanks for donating the icon that represents a part of every officer.

There were many presentations during the night. Just to mention a few of those, members of the American Astronaut Hall of Fame were on hand to present an autographed replica shuttle piece. The item was signed by 9 different astronauts from various missions. A gift was also presented by one of the original founders of the Titusville location. The Walt Disney Company (Disney Radio) representative was there to honor the milestone as well.

And then there were two gifts that were very important to those of us with “The Shield” foundations. The first was this work of art. The caisson picture was first noticed in the Florida Memorial Gardens funeral home by John while he was attending the service of a friend.

He stated that the elegance of the picture drew his attention. After talking to the director of services, they put him in contact with the original artist, Michele Haro.

Ms. Haro is a renowned local artist, videographer, and photojournalist. After speaking with John, she gave authorization to have the item reproduced and donated her work. The photographic digital image was reproduced onto a piece of stretched canvas (24x36) and signed by Ms. Haro herself. It was then placed into a museum quality frame and during the event it was presented to the Hall of Fame for permanent display. Ms. Haro was on hand at the presentation, signifying the initiation of future collaborative efforts between all.

The donation of this piece was on the behalf of “A Tribute To Those Who Wear The Shield”, “Families of the Shield”, Artist – Michele Haro, Florida Memorial Garden (Dignity), Southern Photo, Steve Casanova Esq., and Eddies Sunrise Diner. The team effort that went into making the piece available for display is clearly evident.

The meaning of the caisson is not only the ride to the final call of a fellow officer, but the birthing of a new call for duty, on a much higher ground. May they always rest in peace.

As closure of the night drew near, our foundation (The Shield), in conjunction with the Wal-Mart Corporation presented a $1,000.00 check to the American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens. The message was so well received, our foundations and agency, received a standing ovation. Chief Jack Rinchich (Chief of Police Charleston, WV) and President of the National Association of Chiefs of Police remarked, “Job well done. Great presentation and a hallmark of community oriented policing”. Deputy Dennis Wise, President of the American Federation of police & Concerned Citizens stated, “Outstanding, well organized and executed.” And, Barry Shepherd, Executive Director of the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum said, “Class act” and displayed overwhelming appreciation.

These are just some of the many great things to come from our efforts, where the fruits of our labor are palatable for many, not just a few. Just as these efforts are not the efforts of just a few. None of these things would be possible without each of you.

“The Shield” began as a dream. It is not about recognition or accolades; it never was. It’s about making a difference; a difference in lives, in hearts, and in minds. It’s about the smile on a child’s face when they receive that gift they might not have otherwise received and the eyes of that man or woman who holds in their hand a plate filled with food that was given to them in love. It’s about finding a way to tell the men and women who protect us all, putting their lives on the line without fail and without question, every day that we know they’re out there and we really do appreciate them, care for them, and pray for them. And it’s about reaching out to what is often an apathetic public and teaching them that those men and women are there because we need them and they are doing jobs that most of us could never hope to do ourselves…but that behind that shield is a heart; one that is not made of steel. We want to show them that what the law enforcement community does is not just what they see on the news in a two minute clip, but so much more. We can only do that with the help of a team that is dedicated to make all of these things happen. Every member of “The Shield”, each one of you, is a part of what makes this work. It is with your help that these things can and will be accomplished. We are a TEAM…Together Everyone Accomplishes More. Each of you is a part of that team and together we WILL accomplish even more. On behalf of the staff of “A Tribute to Those Who Wear the Shield” and the staff of “Families of the Shield”…we thank you.