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Diversity Outreach. Outreach to South Carolina’s diverse communities was a key component in the campaign. A minority spokesperson was selected to contact key groups and leaders in South Carolina to introduce the Click It or Ticket campaign. Colonel Anna Amos of State Transport Police solicited support from the Coalition of Black Church Leaders, the Legislative Black Caucus, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)-South Carolina Chapter. Her mission was twofold: (1) to open a dialogue between the enforcement community and minority organizations on the need for stringent enforcement of the safety belt law; and (2) to identify any concerns regarding perceived problems with differential enforcement. And, although the focus of South Carolina’s Diversity Outreach effort was primarily on the African American community because it is by far the largest minority community in the state, outreach to Hispanics was included whenever possible.
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“Her mission was twofold: (1) to open a dialogue between the enforcement community and minority organizations on the need for stringent enforcement of the safety belt law; and (2) to identify any concerns regarding perceived problems with differential enforcement.”
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Minority “Pre-Meetings.” As part of the Regional Law Enforcement Briefings, pre-meetings were held with key leaders in the African American and Hispanic communities to discuss the campaign and its impact on these communities. These meetings provided an opportunity to gain feedback from the minority community and to assess their reactions to the Click It or Ticket strategy. A Diversity Outreach Subcommittee was created and tasked with coordinating pre-meetings with minority leadership and reporting back to the Enforcement Committee any negative feedback or concerns voiced. Diversity Outreach Subcommittee Chair, Colonel Anna Amos, led numerous meetings with minority leaders to discuss the Click It or Ticket campaign. Governor Hodges sent a letter announcing the campaign to key African American leaders in the churches and state legislature.
Initially, the incoming Chairperson of the Legislative Black Caucus expressed concerns regarding the planned campaign but his concerns were allayed when other members voiced their support. Boykin Rose, Director of the Department of Public Safety, held a formal meeting with members of the Legislative Black Caucus to discuss his Department’s plans for training officers on how to conduct a professional traffic stop and to address any concerns regarding racial profiling during this intensive campaign.
Private Sector Funding for Paid Ads Targeting Minorities. Through a $500,000 grant from the Air Bag and Seat Belt Safety Campaign, one 30-second television spot and two 30-second radio spots were produced and placed on radio and television stations throughout the state. Approximately $400,000 was used for the media buy. The media plan included strategically placed ads, saturating markets that catered to two distinctly different population groups – the general market young adult male and African Americans. The television ad featured a black law enforcement officer as the spokesperson, as campaign strategists agreed that, in so doing, the ads would be more accepted in the African American community.
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“The media plan included strategically placed ads, saturating markets that catered to two distinctly different population groups – the general market young adult male and African Americans.”
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