Highway Safety

The Beckley Police Department is a strong advocate for highway safety, and has long designated one of their officers to serve as one of the eight regional highway safety coordinators for West Virginia. These coordinators answer directly to the WV Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. Lieutenant Paul Blume serves as the coordinator for the Southern Regional Highway Safety Program (SRHSP) which represents Braxton, Webster, Pocahontas, Nicholas, Fayette, Raleigh, and Greenbrier Counties; and serves 35 police departments within those boundaries. Lieutenant Blume is a graduate of Bluefield State College, WV State Police Academy, and served as a patrol officer and detective before being appointed the highway safety coordinator in 2006 by the chief of police. He has served with the Beckley PD since 1995.

The purpose of the highway safety program is to reduce the number of crashes, injuries and fatalities on our roadways by supplementing enforcement and creating innovative programs designed to educate and inform the public. This is done through highway safety  funding to area departments from the SRHSP. Departments receive this funding to increase needed patrols and enforcement in such areas as DUI Patrols, Checkpoints, Underage Alcohol Stings, Speed Patrols, Aggressive Driving Patrols, Click it or Ticket, Target Red, and Child Restraint Enforcement.

The Target Red Campaign is a red light campaign designated to reduce red light running in an effort to drastically reduce the number of crashes, injuries, property damage, and fatalities as a result of those who run red lights. Statistics have shown that more people are injured in red light running crashes than any other type of crash. The Beckley PD was the first agency to launch this campaign in 2008. As a result of their success in this campaign, the Governor’s Highway Safety Office released funding to enforce Target Red in communities throughout West Virginia.

In addition to enforcement efforts that concentrate on arresting impaired drivers and enforcing the seat belt law, the SRHSP in also active in community efforts to educate the public on child safety seat use. Highway safety resources target safety seat classes, clinics, informational booths, and safety checks for parents who need guidance on the laws and installation of child safety seats. Officers also spend a great deal of time focused on students in an effort to educate them on a variety of issues including the dangers of alcohol and driving and the importance of wearing a seat belt.

For more information on the SRHSP you may call 304-256-1715. If you need assistance with installation or information on child safety seats, you may schedule an appointment by calling the Beckley Fire Dept. at 304-256-1780.

Southern Regional Highway Safety Program

Lieutenant Paul A. Blume

Beckley Police Department
340 Prince Street
Beckley, WV 25801

Phone: (304) 256-1715
Cell: (304) 673-7001
FAX: (304) 256-1840

E-Mail: pblume@beckleypd.com

Additional Resources

Child Passenger Safety - Follow the link if you would like more information from the National Highway Safety Administration.

Child Safety Seat Recall List – Is your seat outdated or have a safety recall?

WV Governor’s Highway Safety Program – Follow the link to go directly to the website.