Appendix F: Telephone Script with Coordinating Individual

Appendix F: Telephone script with Coordinating individual

Hello, my name is [name], and I am a researcher with the Texas Transportation Institute, a Texas state agency that is part of the Texas A&M University System. The Chief (Chief’s secretary) indicated that you could help us in a study on the uses of automated license plate readers by law enforcement agencies; particularly ALPR use for traffic safety purposes (such as detecting drivers with suspended, revoked, or restricted licenses). This study is being conducted on behalf of the Volpe Center (U.S Department of Transportation) for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Governors Highway Safety Association. It is one of several studies being conducted under a new federal program to research and evaluate state highway safety countermeasures.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about our ALPR study. Do you have any questions thus far? If yes, answer questions. If no, continue with script.

Does your agency uses ALPR for traffic safety purposes? If yes, continue. If no, thank and end – after explanation of purpose of study.

Are you willing for your agency to serve as [an on-site/ a telephone] case study site? If yes, continue. If no, try to identify concerns and counter. If still no, thank and end.

Thank you for participating in this important study. The next step is to identify individuals to be interviewed in your agency. We are interested in speaking with persons representing the following:

• Two patrol officers who are well-versed in using ALPR for traffic safety purposes

• A mid-level manager who has lead or supervisory responsibility on ALPR use

• A head of agency or an individual in executive leadership who is knowledgeable about ALPR policy within the agency.

Can you identify these individuals right now? If so, I can take their names and contact information for follow-up calls to arrange for interviews. If yes, collect information. If no, continue,

If you need some time to consider who we should interview, you can email the names and contact information to me. I’ll follow-up if I don’t receive an email within the week. My email address is [email address].

We also have a brief list of some additional information that we are hoping your agency will be able to share (e.g., written policies or procedures related to ALPRs, cost information). Should I send the list to you, or is there someone else in the agency that would coordinate the gathering of this information? If someone else, get email and phone contact.

[If on-site case study] We would like to conduct personal interviews with your staff. Should I coordinate the visit with you, or is there someone else in the agency I should work with? Discuss calendar.

Thank you again for your agency’s participation in this study. The next step for us is to send [you/other person] the list of other data elements and to contact the individuals who will be interviewed.