Vancouver, Wash. --On December 15, 2017, the Target Zero Task Force will be holding its 26th annual awards ceremony, formerly known as The Night of 1000 Stars. Although this year the event has a new name, the mission remains the same; to recognize those law enforcement officers who excel in performance in traffic safety as well as the community partners who support these efforts.

Date: December 15, 2017
Time: 8:00 PM (doors open at 7:00 PM)
Location: Washington State Patrol Headquarters (11018 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver, WA)

In 2017, SW Washington was the recipient of two significant grants from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) in support of both pedestrian safety and DUI enforcement. Additionally, Battle Ground resident Jack Fletcher, was featured in a statewide public service and speaking campaign sponsored by the WTSC . In 2016, Jack was seriously injured when he was hit head-on by a drunk driver. He was selected by the WTSC share his inspirational story with audiences across the state and the task force is honored that Jack will be the keynote speaker at this year's Target Zero Heroes event.

As in year's past, the award ceremony will be followed by a regional, multi-agency, DUI emphasis.

Members of the media are invited to attend the award ceremony, which promises to provide great visuals as well as ample interview opportunities. Ride-along's during the post-awards ceremony DUI enforcement will also be available to members of the media. Members of the media who would like to participate in a ride-along are asked to contact Target Zero Manager Hilary Torres at targetzero@hilarytorres.com for information on pre-registering for a ride-along.

Target Zero is Washington State's strategic highway safety plan, and calls for reducing highway deaths to zero by the year 2030. The entire plan can be found at www.targetzero.com.


###