Region 16 Target Zero Manager

Bio: John is a graduate of Eastern Washington University with a degree in business administration.  He spent over 26 years working as a police officer for the Spokane Police Department serving in various capacities until his retirement in 2021 to take over the Target Zero Manager position.

John has always had a passion for his community and making it a safe place to live, work and play. That passion led him to want to work in traffic safety to try and prevent the needless loss of life from preventable car crashes. He served his community as a motor officer and commercial vehicle officer while continuing to add to his training in collision investigation.  He was the traffic sergeant from 2014-2021 where he oversaw the departments traffic school and photo red/ photo speed programs. He has been involved in managing pedestrian, impaired driving, speed, seatbelt, and commercial vehicle grants directly related to making the community safer through reducing serious injury and fatal traffic crashes.

The Spokane County Target Zero Task force was first established in 1981.  The task force meets at least four times a year with members from local city/county/state engineering, local law enforcement agencies, judicial, courts, citizens, substance abuse agencies, transportation groups, schools/colleges, and traffic safety driving organizations, etc.  The task force uses the proven and recommended strategies in Target Zero to reduce the traffic fatal and serious collisions in our region.  We know by working together, we can reach our Target Zero goal of zero deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

Traffic safety priorities for region: 

• Reduce impaired driving
• Promote pedestrian and bicycle safety
• Educate young drivers on safe driving behaviors and use positive community norming messages to empower them to make good choices.
• Reduce Speeding
• Reduce distracted driving

List of 5 projects/activities done in this region: 

1. Implemented full time impaired driving unit
2. Spokane Municipal DUI Court
3. Student led traffic safety PSA project
4. Pedestrian and bicycle education campaign
5. Teens in the Driver Seat