copsrecruitment_script

Cops & Cars Study (Law Enforcement Officer Motor Vehicle Safety)

Recruitment Script

Notes/Tips

• Best time to call is between 9:30-11:30 a.m. or 1:30-3:30 pm CST (1030-1230 or 230-430 EST)

• Try to avoid Mondays, early morning, and right after lunch

• NIOSH is an agency under the umbrella of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

• Option 1

  • get them to return card in the mail OR verbally agree over the phone

  • we can send out another packet if they would like before agreeing to participate

  • If they DO verbally agree - date & time of call and person who gave verbal agreement needs to be noted

• Option 2 – If there is hesitation, offer a face-to-face visit with the project officers (RH and HT)

Opening Script

• “Hi! I am INSERT NAME HERE from the ‘Law Enforcement Officer Motor Vehicle Safety Study’. I am calling because your department was one of the 162 Iowa law enforcement agencies selected to take part in a study of motor vehicle safety practices, funded by NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health). About a month ago, we mailed a packet of informational materials to your agency leadership. Are you an appropriate person for us to speak to or is there someone else you feel we should speak with regarding departmental participation in this study?

• We are calling today to see if (1) you had any questions about the Law Enforcement Officer Motor Vehicle Safety study being conducted in the state of Iowa? (2) If you would like your agency to participate, you can either give your verbal consent over the phone or return the blue postage-paid postcard to us by placing it in the mail.

Talking Points

• Benefits of participating

  • Information – Data that your officers provide will help us work towards the prevention of motor-vehicle-related injuries and fatalities among LEOs nationwide.

  • Staffing Levels – Increasing the use of seatbelts among LEOs will help reduce the severity of injuries and the amount of time lost from work due to lengthy recoveries. This, in turn, will help reduce staffing issues that may otherwise arise.

  • Iowa – was selected because of the state-level regulation of initial LEO training as well as the variety of types and sizes of agencies.

• Barriers we have addressed

  • Confidentiality – This is of the outmost importance. There are no personal identifiers of any kind. Officers will return the survey in a sealed & stamped envelope. Responses will be tracked only by the number of surveys returned from each agency. Finally, individual agency’s results will not be reported except in aggregate with other agencies.

  • Time – We have designed the survey and data collection methods to reduce the time constraints placed on you and your officers. It should take approximately 15 minutes for your officers to complete the survey. Officers will return their surveys to a central location in a sealed & stamped envelope. You or someone you designate within your agency will be tasked with returning the surveys to us in a prepaid mailer.