Best in class

Sustainment Brigade MPs take top honors in state law enforcement competition
By SFC Pete Mayes
101st Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs Office

FORT CAMPBELL, KY., August 28 – For the past four years, Fort Campbell has been at the top of the heap when it comes to law enforcement. This year was no different.
For the fifth consecutive year, Soldiers with the 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, and the Fort Campbell Provost Marshal’s Office took home top awards at the Tennessee Law Enforcement Challenge.
The MP’s won first place honors in the state Governor’s Highway Traffic Safety Award, and finished third on the national level in the Military Police category of all branches. They’ve finished in the top three both state and nationally since the inception of the competition five years ago.
“Our traffic section really love what they do, and take a personal interest in trying to protect folks on the roadways of this installation,” said Maj. Darrell Sides, Fort Campbell provost marshal. “There’s so much focus on safety in the military; it’s part of a culture, and our Soldiers are somewhat on the spear when it comes to traffic safety.”
The Provost Marshal’s office is primarily made of civilian police officers who work hand-in-hand with the 716th MP Bn. Besides providing law enforcement on the installation, they also assist the battalion in training and skills as they deploy to Afghanistan.
The International Association of the Chief of Police hosts the Tennessee Law Enforcement Challenge. The provost marshal’s office spent two months creating their book of their accomplishments over the past year.
Cpt. Matthew Cain, 163rd Military Police Detachment commander, 716th MP Bn., said the book consists of Standard Operating Procedures and data relating to traffic enforcement on Fort Campbell, including speeding and Driving Under the Influence citations.
The book is submitted it to the Governor’s Highway Safety Office. Once reviewed at the state level, it is then sent to the national level, where the IACP reviews it to determine their winners.
Interim Deputy Provost Marshal Maj. Keith Shumate said the number of traffic fatalities involving Soldiers under the influence of alcohol has dropped drastically reduced from the previous re-deployment, going to two from 13.
Cpt. Cain describes the joint training between the brigade MPs and the Provost Marshal’s office as “crucial” in preparing the Soldiers for deployment downrange.
“I think it goes hand-in hand. The skills they’ve used on the road when making traffic stops can be used in a variety of ways, and it definitely gets the Soldiers in the right mindset when they deploy and vice-versa,” he said.