TALLADEGA _— The Talladega Police Department has been named the best in the state “for enforcing Alabama’s seat-belt laws during the national ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign earlier this year,” according to a press release issued Friday by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. ADECA administers the program.

“It only takes a few seconds to put on a seatbelt, but the consequences of not doing it are costly, and can be deadly,” according to ADECA Director Doni Ingram. “I commend Chief Alan Watson and the officers of the Talladega Police Department for their service and dedication to saving lives.”

During the program’s enforcement period, from May 18 to 31, police conducted extra patrols and issued 167 seatbelt or child restraint citations.

Municipal police departments in Hanceville and Powell ranked just behind Talladega, according to the release.

“I’m very proud of them,” Watson said. “I know lots of people look at this as just writing tickets, but my officers and I look at it as saving lives. And we’ve been working hard on DUI’s as well.”

Watson said he and his officers are thoroughly convinced “this saves lives. We had a handful of officers working their off days and weekends, and obviously being named the top department in the state says a lot about their performance. This is a program we have participated in since it started in 2001, and we will continue to support it. Traffic deaths and serious injuries have been declining, so we are making a difference enforcing the law and being out there in force, especially during holiday weekends.”