Missouri State Highway Patrol

Available Programs by Sgt. Cody Fulkerson, Troop I

 

Through both enforcement and education it is the goal of the Missouri State Highway Patrol to make our state a safer place for all its citizens.  To help achieve that objective, Troop I’s public information and education officer, Sergeant Cody Fulkerson, is available to present programs on a wide variety of topics for schools, businesses, or civic and social groups.  The following is a list of programs that are available.  These programs are generally one hour in length, but can be tailored to fit the time restraints of your meeting or class.  Please feel free to contact Sergeant Fulkerson at Troop I Headquarters in Rolla, 573-368-2345, or e-mail him at cody.fulkerson@mshp.dps.mo.gov, to schedule a presentation.  If there is a topic that is not listed, but you would like a presentation to be given to your class or group, please contact Sergeant Fulkerson with that request.  

1) “Permanent” -- The Highway Patrol’s Public Information and Education Division recently finished its newest traffic safety video, entitled, “Permanent”.  The video uses powerful testimonies along with traffic crash photos and pictures of young adults participating in school and social functions to show the consequences of unsafe driving practices.  To help keep the viewer’s attention, contemporary music is played in the background.  A PowerPoint presentation and related video clips are shown to help emphasize the poor driving habits that contribute to most crashes.  

2) As the volume of traffic increases on our highways and as motorist’s patience thin, the modern phenomenon of “Road Rage” has developed.  The Patrol’s presentation entitled “Road Rage” combines informative slides with catchy video clips from the movie “Anger Management” to emphasize the seriousness of the situation and to present solutions.

3) “Understanding Crash Dynamics” -- Through the use of a DVD entitled: “Understanding Crash Dynamics” and a PowerPoint presentation that includes video clips, the audience can better realize the dangers of speeding and why the use of seat belts is so important.

4) "Driving While Texting"-- Texting has become a very popular means by which to communicate.  Unfortunately, driving while texting has proven to be a deadly combination. This presentation presents facts and informative video clips to help persuade our young drivers why driving and texting don’t mix.

5) “Preventing Underage Drinking” and "Say No To Alcohol"-- These presentations explain the hazards of drinking as a teenage and as a pre-teen.  Both health hazards and legal consequences are covered during the program.  A DVD, entitled, “Underage, Unprepared” can also be shown to during the presentation.

6) “Operation Lifesaver” --  The Troop I public information and education officer is certified through Burlington-Northern & Santa Fe Railroad to present this important program that teaches safety at railroad-highway crossings as well as the danger of trespassing on train tracks.  Program can be tailored for students, bus drivers, or the general public.

7) Missouri has the dubious distinction of leading the nation in methamphetamine incidents.  The presentation, “What is Meth”, educates the audience about the dangers of the drug and indicators that a methamphetamine lab could be in their neighborhood. 

8) “Internet Safety” -- Using a program from Netsmartz, this presentation details many of the dangers of giving-out personal information on the Internet and the consequences of trusting those with whom you communicate on the web.

9) “Teen Dating Violence” -- This program was developed by Corporal Dottie Taylor (MSHP) and was created with the objective of helping teach the teen never to accept violent acts or threats from their date.  

10) “Bully Prevention” -- This presentation’s purpose is to give the student a better understanding of the consequences of being a bully and how it affects the victim.  Statistics have shown that those individuals who are a bully as a teen are more likely to be in trouble with the law later in life.

11) “Citizen Safety” --  This presentation helps the public to be aware of what they can do to ensure their safety either at home or away.  Tips on how to make your home less attractive to potential burglars and personal safety when out shopping, are just two of the areas covered in this presentation.

12) “Recognizing Drug Impairment”-- This program specifically looks at the various drug groups and the indicators that show an individual may be under the influence of the drug.

13) “Careers With The Missouri State Highway Patrol” --  The Missouri State Highway Patrol offers many employment opportunities.  In addition to the many duties that a Missouri state trooper may be assigned, there are other fields to explore. For example, positions exist for criminalists (crime lab), driver examiners, commercial vehicle inspectors, mechanics, and clerical staff, to name a few. Emphasis is placed on the importance of academic success and good decisions making an individual more competitive for these positions. The Highway Patrol has recruiters with table displays that are also available for school career days or business job fairs. 

14) “ATV Safety” --  Accidents involving all terrain vehicles have become much more prevalent.  Many times those involved in an ATV crash are teens that unwittingly violate the law or just ignore good safety practices.  This presentation explains the laws and promotes safe operating procedures.  A short DVD on ATV safety is used during the presentation.

15) “Bicycle Safety” --  This program is designed to help teach the young bicyclist how to more safely operate his or her bicycle.  Safety tips, laws, and an approximate 15-minute safety video are presented during the program.

16) “Stranger Safety” --  Using “The Safe Side” DVD entitled, “Stranger Safety, Hot Tips for Cool Kids”, the trooper can help the parent or caregiver impress upon our youngsters the importance of always thinking safety first.  The DVD has a 42-minute run time and covers numerous tips for our children in a very entertaining way.

17) “Winter Driving” -- This program specifically looks at the hazard of driving in adverse weather conditions with specific detail given to driving when roads are ice or snow covered.

18)  “Drive Well” -- The objective of the “Drive Well” program is to help older adults understand the issues related to driving during their senior years, along with issues regarding their independence and mobility. A variety of specific topics can be examined using material and information from this program.

19) “Identity Theft” -- Program details the growing epidemic of identity theft and explains some of the many methods used to steal the victim’s identity.  It also explains the procedures a victim should follow in an effort to stop and prevent future events.

20) “Bank Robbery Awareness” and “Extortion And Kidnapping Of Bank Employees” -- Using data from the FBI, these programs are designed to educate bank employees.  The presentations provide information that may reduce the occurrence of a robbery and the proper procedures for employees to follow if they are the victims of a bank holdup.

21) “Work Place Violence” and “De-escalation Techniques” -- These programs discuss the growing problems in the work place and what employees can do to help make their workplace environment safer.

22) "Holiday Crime Prevention" -- As Christmas approaches, shopping gets into full swing.  Unfortunately, criminals are well aware of the target rich environment this creates and they too get busy. This program addresses how you can make yourself less likely to be the victim of a crime while enjoying the shopping season and how to help make your home more burglary proof.

23) "Church Security" -- In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of violent acts at churches involving both unknown intruders and those within the congregation.  During this presentation verbal de-escalation techniques are discussed along with the implementation of numerous safeguards to help protect your church members.

24) “Seat Belt Convincer” -- This convincer lets individuals experience the effectiveness of seat belts by simulating an approximate 5 mph head-on collision. The participant is belted in a vehicle seat that then rolls down a ramp.  When the seat abruptly stops at the bottom, the rider immediately realizes that only a seat belt can harness the force that would have otherwise hurled them forward into a steel plate.

25) “Rollover Simulator” -- This device gives the student the opportunity to experience visually the effects of a rollover vehicle traffic crash.  The participants observe how seat belts keep the crash dummies inside the vehicle, where the likelihood of serious or fatal injuries is much less.  For example, Missouri State Highway Patrol statistics for 2008 showed that the chance of an unbelted driver being killed in traffic crash was 1 in 29.  However, when the driver wore a seat belt, their chance of dying if involved in a crash was only 1 in 1,322.

26) “Golf Cart with Fatal Vision Goggles” -- By wearing these vision-impairing goggles, the participant gets an idea what it is like to be intoxicated. The student can then drive a golf cart through a serpentine course and better realize the consequences of impairment as they knock down safety cones.

27) “Fatal Vision Goggles” -- In addition to using the golf cart, students can be asked to complete various tasks while wearing goggles that simulate different levels of intoxication. These experiences not only show the seriousness of being impaired, but also serve as a learning experience that is also fun.