Officer Jeremy Shrewsbury was named Vinton Police Officer of the Month for May. He issued 64 summonses for moving violations, in addition to the enforcement of other highway safety laws such as driving under the influence.

According to Vinton Police Chief Tom Foster, “A preliminary report by the National Safety Council estimates that as many as 40,000 people died because of motor vehicle crashes in 2016. This is a rise of at least 6 percent from 2015, and 14 percent from 2014. Additionally, an estimated 4.6 million people were injured or seriously injured as well.

“The warm season usually offers motorists the best weather for driving; however, seasonal benefits can be negated by other factors such as alcohol-impaired driving, speeding, and driver inattention,” continued Foster. “This, of course, can cause traffic accidents to rise dramatically. The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day has been known as ‘the 100 deadliest days,’ in large part due to summer vacations. To address these issues, programs such as ‘Click It or Ticket’ have been adopted. However, the initiative is much larger than encouraging motorists to wear their safety belts; it promotes all aspects of highway safety.”

Chief Foster congratulated Officer Shrewsbury, saying, “Your pro-activity and productivity did not go unrecognized by both your fellow officers and your chain-of-command. There is no telling what your actions may have prevented. Keep up the good work!”