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The spots aired beginning one week prior to the enforcement blitz and continued through the end of November. Earned media was a significant component, with media events conducted at safety checkpoints and safety seat checks. The Diversity Outreach Subcommittee requested that additional announcements regarding the Click It or Ticket campaign be aired over popular gospel radio stations in the Columbia, Orangeburg and Sumter areas. The Subcommittee set up an on-air interview during the morning traffic commute. Colonel Amos discussed seatbelt usage among African Americans and announced the schedule of the upcoming Click It or Ticket campaign, highlighting the zero tolerance for racial profiling policies of the participating law enforcement agencies.

Selection of Sites in High Crash Area. The enforcement plan included an emphasis on selecting sites for checkpoints in high crash locations. These sites were reviewed by a minority panel to ensure fair, unbiased selection, thereby preventing any allegations of differential enforcement by the minority community. Additionally, all checkpoint locations were posted on South Carolina’s Click It or Ticket website, giving the populace advance notification of enforcement activity in their communities. Members of the Legislative Black Caucus and the Coalition of Black Church Leaders were invited to monitor checkpoint activity.

A special mandatory four-hour in-service training video on how to conduct a professional traffic stop and racial profiling was presented to all members of the Highway Patrol. As part of the Click It or Ticket campaign in South Carolina, a dedicated hotline was established for motorists to report any harassment or suspected racial profiling. It was encouraging to find that the hotline did not receive a single complaint during this very intensive enforcement effort.

Carrying the Click It or Ticket Message to Sheriffs’ Offices and Local Police Departments. The enforcement planning committee viewed local law enforcement agency participation as critical to the success of the Click It or Ticket campaign. Governor Hodges sent letters to all chiefs of police and sheriffs encouraging their support of Click It or Ticket. Governor Hodges’ letter to law enforcement included the following statement: “The Click It or Ticket campaign will be conducted in a fair and open manner...no segment of the population will be targeted unfairly in this enforcement effort.” Four law enforcement liaisons conducted outreach activities during the two months preceding the November enforcement wave. The liaisons’ personal visits to police chiefs and sheriffs proved to be an effective strategy in obtaining commitments from local agencies. Additionally, the state highway safety office conducted seven regional law enforcement briefings with representatives of the local police agencies along with mayors, chief magistrates and members of county/city councils. The purpose of the regional briefings was to provide a detailed discussion of the goals, objectives, and strategies of the Click It or Ticket campaign. The Governor’s zero tolerance message on differential enforcement was reinforced at each law enforcement briefing.

“...a dedicated hotline was established for motorists to report any harassment or suspected racial profiling.”
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