AAA Honors Stratford Police for Traffic Safety Achievements

Press Release

AAA Southern New England – CT recently honored the Stratford Police Department with a Bronze Award for the department’s outstanding traffic safety programs. In addition, AAA recognized Officer Pat Tesla as a department-nominated Traffic Safety Hero.

At AAA’s 5th Annual Community Traffic Safety Awards lunch recently at Marisa’s, Trumbull, AAA representatives recognized the department for community traffic safety programs that include active occupant safety, distracted driving and DUI enforcement programs and a bicycle safety awareness program, among other initiatives.

Officer Tesla, nominated by her department, was recognized for her efforts to bring distracted driving seminars and activities to Stratford’s high schools where she is a school resource officer. As part of her work, she worked with the municipality to apply for grant money to fund peer awareness program to bring a virtual reality texting simulator into the high schools where students are exposed to the dangers of texting while driving.

At the lunch, AAA Public Affairs Manager Fran Mayko, right, presented, a Bronze Award to Lieut. Curtis Eller, second right; and Officer Tesla, center, with a Traffic Safety hero award. From left are, Lieut. Melissa Niemiec, Officer Jim Iannucci and Officer Kevin Albohn.