Overview

This module provides a framework for certified child passenger safety technicians (CPSTs) to use when instructing law enforcement officers about:

  • Current tribal, state and local child restraint and seat belt laws
  • The correct use of a child safety seat
  • The gross misuse of child safety seat while on patrol

This training can be used in whole or part, and can supplement materials found in Module 8. CPS techs may need to enlist the help of a regional CPST to keep a good instructor-to-student ratio.

If you had the chance to stop a child killer, would you at least try to? Children dying in car crashes are predictable, and therefore preventable. I’d rather go down trying than give up.

 

– Charles Hirata, Maui Police Department

Bernadine’s Experience

After the child restraint code was adopted, we were actually surprised and wondering, “What next?” Other programs did not find success in passing a child restraint law, so we didn’t expect to either. When we approached the Colville Tribal Police Department, we were told that they were aware of the new law and that incentives or training was not really necessary, as this was part of their everyday job.

But eventually, we did schedule a training with law enforcement. At first, the training was scheduled for four hours and was planned to include the basics of child passenger safety and practical exercises for spotting violations. Then, the initial training was shortened to two hours. We refocused  on “best practices.” Since then, with more research and talks with other law enforcement officers, we’ve realized our first training for police focused on the wrong things.  Now, the training is geared toward spotting gross misuse violations during routine patrol by a law enforcement officers.  We now know this is what they need and have time for.