Nearly 100 Maryland Officers Designated as Traffic Safety Specialists

Nearly 100 officers were recently honored for their commitment and contributions to traffic safety with designation as a level I or level II Traffic Safety Specialist (TSS). Ninety-four officers received a level I designation and four officers received a level II designation in 2020 through TSS, a statewide program recognizing officers who have attained distinct levels of experience, training and proficiency in highway safety and traffic enforcement methods and procedures. The TSS program is a collaborative effort of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) Highway Safety Office, the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association and the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association.

“Enforcement plays a critical role in our efforts to eliminate deaths on Maryland roadways and I’m grateful for our law enforcement partners who are committed to helping the state achieve that goal,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Larry Hogan’s Highway Safety Representative. “We rely on our officers to ensure motorists are buckling up, driving sober, staying alert and maintaining appropriate speeds.”

“The partnership we have with law enforcement agencies across the state is crucial in our shared mission to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities on our transportation network,” MDOT Secretary Greg Slater said. “I’m thankful for the officers who stepped up in 2020 to undergo this training, and for our Highway Safety Office team members who keep these frontline officers on the cutting edge of enforcement practices and technology.”

To develop effective solutions that address local and statewide traffic safety, law enforcement agencies must have staff personnel that are highly skilled in traffic safety. The TSS program provides a framework that provides law enforcement officers an opportunity to receive credit and recognition for their skills and contributions to traffic safety.

“I congratulate and commend all the law enforcement personnel who have taken advantage of this opportunity to improve their ability to save lives and reduce injuries on our roads by becoming traffic safety specialists,” Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. Woodrow W. Jones III said. “When the Maryland State Police was created 100 years ago, one of its assigned primary duties was to conduct statewide traffic safety and enforcement efforts. As we enter a new century of service, our commitment to making Maryland highways safer remains strong as we work toward the important goal of zero deaths.”

Established in 2008, the TSS program is open to police officers, deputy sheriffs and troopers from across Maryland and federal law enforcement agencies. The program offers three designations: TSS I, TSS II and TSS III. Each successive designation requires increasing levels of experience, training, job performance and skills proficiency. Specialized training requirements such as Speed Detection Device certification, Standardized Field Sobriety Test certification and participation in High Visibility Enforcement campaigns are examples of specifications needed to achieve one of the three TSS levels. To be eligible, officers must enroll in the program and submit required documentation for the specific level they are seeking. TSS III requires a traffic safety project which must be reviewed and approved by the TSS Executive Committee.

“Our families and our communities rely on law enforcement officers to help keep Maryland roadways safe by professionally enforcing traffic laws,” said Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Police Chief Col. Kevin M. Anderson. “I’m proud of these officers for their commitment to training, education and highway safety, and I’m thankful for the support of our partners at the Highway Safety Office.”

Nearly 850 officers across Maryland have earned TSS Designation since 2008 and 65 law enforcement agencies have at least one TSS designee on staff. Agencies with TSS officers designated in 2020 include:

Learn more about the MDOT MVA’s Highway Safety Office at ZeroDeathsMD.gov or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @ZeroDeathsMD.

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