GULF BREEZE pOLICE DEPARTMENT

The City of Gulf Breeze is a waterfront community of 6,189 that prides itself on its fine small town character, quality education, excellent local government, and multitudes of waterfront activities. Gulf Breeze enjoys a very low crime rate. The police department is a proactive community-policing agency and has had tremendous success with reducing traffic related incidents through several initiatives. The community is dramatically impacted by the 50,000 cars that pass through each day on Highway 98 which creates significant safety and traffic issues.The Police Department has implemented over 20 initiatives in the past four years that have reduced traffic crashes in the city by almost 6 percent in 2004, 2 percent in 2005, 7 percent in 2006 and a further 12 perent in 2007. Crashes in the remainder of Santa Rosa County increased more than 22 percent and adjacent Escambia County increased almost 10 percent during the same time period. The Police Department did not have any fatalities from traffic crashes in 2005, 2006 or 2007. Their efforts have been guided by the recommendations of a city Traffic Safety Task Force, created in 2004 and the implementation of the innovative Volunteers in Policing Program (V.I.P.S.) in 2005 using civilians to drive marked police cars for traffic calming and motorist assistance.  A pioneering red light camera enforcement program instituted 2006 has also contributed to the substantial reduction in traffic crashes.These dramatic positive results are significant given the changes in traffic patterns caused by hurricane destruction and recovery efforts in the past four years. The 22 percent increase in disabled motor vehicles and a 15 percent increase in traffic has been a direct result of the reconstruction efforts and altered traffic routing caused by Hurricanes Ivan, Arlene, and Dennis. In spite of the factors creating upward pressure in the number of traffic crashes, the City of Gulf Breeze is the only area in Santa Rosa or Escambia counties whose efforts have resulted in a decrease in crashes for four consecutive years.

For more information please contact Lt. Rick Hawthorn at hawthorn@ci.gulf-breeze.fl.us