HVE_IAA_Agreement_Kittitas County Sheriff's Office 2026 partial signed

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WEMS A Decade of Increasing Traffic Fatalities The rise in fatalities has been both sharp and persistent: • 2015 saw a drastic 19.3% increase in traffic fatalities, the largest single -year jump since data collection began in 1968. • Following this spike, fatalities stabilized between 2015 and 2019. • In 2020, despite pandemic -related reductions in traffic volume, fatalities climbed 6.7%, from 538 to 574. • The situation worsened in 2021-2023, when fatalities surged by 20.2%, from 674 in 2021 to 810 in 2023, the highest number since 1990. This five-year increase represents the most rapid rise in traffic fatalities recorded in Washington State's history. • Pedestrian fatalities were a record -high of 157 in 2023 and pedestrian serious injuries reached 472, also a record high for the state. This project will fund locally coordinated enforcement mobilizations to address impaired driving, distracted driving, seat belt safety, speeding, and motorcycle safety. Funding and events will be organized by local Target Zero Managers (TZMs) & the statewide Law Enforcement Liaison networks and their local Target Zero Task Force. These patrols will also be coordinated with the Washington State Patrol (WSP). Target Zero Managers will establish or strengthen relationships with key WSP district personnel to improve interagency coordination. 3.1.2 Project Purpose and Strategies This project will fund High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) and Traffic Safety Enforcement Program (TSEP) patrols to prevent impaired driving, distracted driving, seat belt use, speeding, and motorcycle safety. High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) and Traffic Safety Enforcement Program (TSEP) patrols are designed to create deterrence by increasing the expectation of a citation/fine/arrest. Officers may also remove high risk (impaired) drivers when encountered. So together, this countermeasure works by preventing dangerous driving behaviors and stopping those who still decide to engage in those behaviors. Funding and events will be organized by local TZMs, LELs, and their local Target Zero Task Force. Task forces will use local data and professional judgement to determine enforcement priorities for their jurisdictions and will schedule and plan enforcement and outreach activities. Regional participation in the following National Campaigns is mandatory: • Impaired driving enforcement during the Holiday DUI campaign (December 2025). • Distracted driving enforcement during the Distracted Driving campaign (April 2026) • Seat belt enforcement during the Click It or Ticket campaign (May 2026). • Impaired driving enforcement during the Summer DUI campaign (August 2026). These patrols will also be coordinated with the Washington State Patrol (WSP). Target Zero Managers will establish or strengthen relationships with key WSP district personnel to improve interagency coordination with the WSP. 3.1.3 Requirements for National Mobilizations and Traffic Safety Enforcement Program (TSEP) 3.1.3.1. HVE events will be data informed; based on crash data, anecdotal evidence, and the professional judgement of task force members. WTSC strongly believes in the expertise of local officers to understand Page 2 of 20