Crestview Chief of Police Stephen G. McCosker discusses his vision for the future of the Crestview Police Department.
Chief McCosker sat down for an interview for our public affairs program. During the interview, Chief McCosker gave a brief description of his background and his qualifications for the top position at the police department. We discussed that he plans on improving the way the police department intends to recruit qualified officers, train those officers and most importantly retain the officers including recruiting military veterans.
We also touched on how “Red Light Cameras” can be used for more than just catching violators who fail to stop for traffic lights. They can be utilized in investigating traffic crashes and helping investigate and identify crime suspects. Chief McCosker pointed out the cameras continuously record to a hard drive and have been known to aide in the investigations of murders in other jurisdictions as well as other crimes.
When asked about traffic enforcement, Chief McCosker explained he believes in education before enforcement and that voluntary compliance is his ultimate goal. He would much rather have marked patrol cars out in enforcement which ascts as a deterrence in of its self rather than unmarked patrol cars.. The goal of voluntary compliance is just that, voluntary compliance of traffic laws. The citizen would obey all traffic laws without being reminded with a citation. He plans to include in future budgets to purchase more speed trailers which display the posted speed and the speed you are traveling at. Chief McCosker would like to put the speed trailers in neighborhoods to remind the citizens of the traffic laws and then follow it up by placing marked patrol cars in the same locations a week or two later.
One of the main goals for the police department is to have better relations with the community and other law enforcement agencies. Chief McCosker said he believes the police department is already headed in that direction. He just wants to help it by utilizing social media platforms as well as other avenues to better inform the citizens of Crestview of current and future situations.
We also touched on drug enforcement. Chief McCosker explained that drugs have their own subculture and the problem is everywhere. Currently all police officers carry Narcan nasal spray. Narcan nasal spray is the first and only FDA-approved nasal form of naloxone which is for the emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose. Two years ago the Governor of Florida declared an Opioid epidemic.
In the future, the police department plans on doing a distracted driving campaign. The police department would also like to remind you if at all possible and if it is safe to do so, remove vehicles from the roadway when involved in a traffic accident.
Remember the 9:00 p.m. routine. At 9 o’clock go out and remove the stuff from your vehicles and lock the doors. October is crime prevention month, please do your part to help reduce crime. One great app to use with your smart device is the NextDoor app.
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