AWP Partners with Off-Duty Officers to Protect Work Zones
At AWP, protecting people is at the core of our identity. It’s a trait we share with many fields, including Law Enforcement. While our protectors go through hours of continuous safety training throughout their career, some jobs require an extra level of protection in the form of off-duty Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs).
AWP’s teams have contracted LEOs for nearly a decade thanks to the positive effect police presence has on drivers’ behaviors.
“Motorists are a lot more attentive when they come through the zone and see an officer in his vehicle,” says Atlanta’s Facility Manager, Stephen Pittard. “Typically, they drive by the workers at a safer speed.”
Georgia teams in particular utilize LEOs on an average of 20 jobs daily, meaning support and coordination between the AWP offices and the 80 different Police jurisdictions they partner with is crucial.
“We work 7 days a week, 24 hours a day scheduling jobs, emergency call outs, and bad weather support for our customers,” says UT Manager Johnny Cone, who works closely with Police Officer Billing Coordinator Linda Metz to keep the process running smoothly out of Atlanta. “The police coordinators know they can receive a request at a moment’s notice, and we pride ourselves in having a within-the-hour response to the customer needs.”
Most notably, teams work to secure relationships with their location’s State Patrols, which allows them to dispatch LEOs anywhere in the state without worrying about jurisdiction issues. This means more opportunities and safer work zones for AWP and its customers.
While most cities don’t require LEO usage on all jobs, clients request them for an added layer of protection. “The majority of our requests from customers are due to the increased safety aspect, not because a LEO officer is required,” Pittard says.
In 2021, AWP completed over 13,000 jobs with LEO officers on-site. That number is expected to grow in 2022 as more infrastructure projects are scheduled.
AWP is grateful to all of our LEO partners.
Protect your workzone with a whole new level of safety and contact us today!
