Wednesday, July 12, 2023

MY APRIL 2022 EXCHANGE OF FRIENDLY LETTERS ABOUT PREVENTION OF ALCOHOL-RELATED MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS IN UTAH WITH UTAH DPS PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER AND SGT. CAMERON RODEN

 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: John McMillan <mcmillanj@att.net>
To: Cameron Roden <croden@utah.gov>; constituentservices@utah.gov <constituentservices@utah.gov>; pedbikesafety@dot.gov <pedbikesafety@dot.gov>; dpscontact@utah.gov <dpscontact@utah.gov>; newsmedia@ldschurch.org <newsmedia@ldschurch.org>; news@ksl.com <news@ksl.com>; gpyle@sltrib.com <gpyle@sltrib.com>; uag@agutah.gov <uag@agutah.gov>; mayor@sslc.gov <mayor@sslc.gov>; him-roi@umail.utah.edu <him-roi@umail.utah.edu>; alumnimembership@umn.edu <alumnimembership@umn.edu>; prop-cas@utah.gov <prop-cas@utah.gov>; benelson@utah.gov <benelson@utah.gov>; 500401776@missionary.org <500401776@missionary.org>; intern_amandasorensen@romney.senate.gov <intern_amandasorensen@romney.senate.gov>; joel_wellum@lee.senate.gov <joel_wellum@lee.senate.gov>; keithgrover@le.utah.gov <keithgrover@le.utah.gov>; mstrong@le.utah.gov <mstrong@le.utah.gov>; agranato@slco.org <agranato@slco.org>; communications@canyonsdistrict.org <communications@canyonsdistrict.org>; carol.lear@learlaw.com <carol.lear@learlaw.com>; mark.peterson@schools.utah.gov <mark.peterson@schools.utah.gov>; region8@dot.gov <region8@dot.gov>; steven.mccraw@dps.texas.gov <steven.mccraw@dps.texas.gov>; media@nsc.org <media@nsc.org>; csfc@nsa.gov <csfc@nsa.gov>; press@chronicle.utah.edu <press@chronicle.utah.edu>; public.affairs@oig.dot.gov <public.affairs@oig.dot.gov>; commerce@utah.gov <commerce@utah.gov>; districtattorney@slco.org <districtattorney@slco.org>; slcpdpr@slcgov.com <slcpdpr@slcgov.com>; askthechief@slcgov.com <askthechief@slcgov.com>; customerservice@atssa.com <customerservice@atssa.com>; ntsinc@ntsi.com <ntsinc@ntsi.com>; ntsinw@ntsi.com <ntsinw@ntsi.com>; nytnews@nytimes.com <nytnews@nytimes.com>; slcpdoutreach@slcgov.com <slcpdoutreach@slcgov.com>; nefusioncenter@nebraska.gov <nefusioncenter@nebraska.gov>; talk_to_us@hud.gov <talk_to_us@hud.gov>; ago.info.help@nebraska.gov <ago.info.help@nebraska.gov>; info@naatp.org <info@naatp.org>; naadac@naadac.org <naadac@naadac.org>; dci.intel@wyo.gov <dci.intel@wyo.gov>; news@fox13now.com <news@fox13now.com>; tracy.martinez@dps.texas.gov <tracy.martinez@dps.texas.gov>; efklc@utah.gov <efklc@utah.gov>; stan.hilkey@state.co.us <stan.hilkey@state.co.us>; National Crime Prevention Association 2022 <ncpa@ncpc.org>; CBS News '60 Minutes' Editors and Reporters <60m@cbsnews.com>; Idahodems Info <info@idahodems.org>; Law Enforcement Intelligence Units Assn2021 <leiu@doj.ca.gov>; University of Nebraska Chancellor Chief of Staff Nunez (2016) <wnunez2@unl.edu>; ABA Commission on Disability 2020 <amy.allbright@americanbar.org>; AMA Foundation Exec Dir Churchill <steven.churchill@ama-assn.org>; Center for Ethics and Public Integrity (NAAG 2016) <aely@naag.org>; public.information@texasattorneygeneral.gov <public.information@texasattorneygeneral.gov>; St. James Episcopal Church <wendy@stjamesutah.com>; Slchamber Info <info@slchamber.com>; Salt Lake City Library Board 2022 <boardcontact@slcpl.org>; Salt Lake County Library 2022 <marketing@thecountylibrary.org>; American Hospital Association 2021 <express@aha.org>; Usnews Webmaster <webmaster@usnews.com>; William Costello <william.costello@austintexas.gov>; Steven Rich <steven.rich@washpost.com>; Criminal Justice Journalists Board Member Rashbaum <rashbaum@nytimes.com>; WashingtonPostLettersEditor <letters@washpost.com>; Federal Law Enf. 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Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 12:01:07 AM MDT
Subject: Re: 4-11-22 Traffic-safety Question for Utah DPS Rep. Roden

April 13, 2022

Dear Utah Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer and Sergeant Cameron Roden,

Thank you for your prompt and informative April 12, 2022, reply letter to me on this.

It is very good to sense that your first-rate state law-enforcement agency is always striving to achieve even greater success at prevention of traffic fatalities in Utah that result from a motorist being under the influence of alcohol.

In the meantime, congratulations to your Utah DPS on the comparatively low traffic fatality rates here in the Beehive State that involve motorists who are under the influence of alcohol.

Sincerely and Best Wishes,
former Texas DPS full-time employee and current Salt Lake County restaurant-industry employee John Kevin McMillan of Cottonwood Heights, Utah.
My rental-apartment-unit home address ever since Feb. 24, 2022: 
6819 South 1300 East, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121.
Home phone: (801) 942-2122.
Cell phone: (512) 993-7305.


John Kevin McMillan


On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 03:38:30 PM CDT, Cameron Roden <croden@utah.gov> wrote:


John

I appreciate you sharing that information with me.  It is encouraging to see Utah on the low end of this scale but we do not want to accept this as a norm or think we have reached our goal.  Way too many lives are lost to this trend which is 100% preventable.  As a state, we work hard to combat impaired driving with appropriate laws, education/awareness, and enforcement.  

The Utah Highway Patrol is consistent and continuous in our messaging against impaired driving. We partner with local media, law enforcement, community, and governmental agencies to educate about the dangers and effects that impaired driving plays here in Utah. 

When it comes to enforcement, our Troopers are always on the lookout to intercede with an impaired driver every day when they come to work.  Many times they have put themselves in harm's way to do this.  We also have a DUI squad of highly trained officers who dedicate each shift to detecting and removing these drivers.  In addition to the day-to-day, we regularly hold impaired driving blitzes and enforcement projects centered around times when we can see an increase in these behaviors.

Again, we have not reached our goal and we can not do this alone.  Everyone in Utah has to work together and do their part to eliminate impaired driving.  That goes for not only alcohol but for any prescription and illicit drug use as well.  

Again, thank you for sharing with me the results of your study.

Have a great day.
Sgt. Cameron Roden
Utah Department of Public Safety
Utah Highway Patrol - Public Information Officer
801.554.5659



On Mon, Apr 11, 2022 at 12:36 AM John McMillan <mcmillanj@att.net> wrote:
From former Texas Department of Public Safety full-time staff member, Nebraska native, and current Salt Lake County (UT) resident John Kevin McMillan.
My current home address ever since February 14, 2022: 
6819 South 1300 East, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121.
My home phone: (801) 942-2122.
My cell phone number ever since August of 2019: (512) 993-7305.

April 11, 2022

Dear Utah Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer Cameron Roden,

Thank you again for your prompt and friendly reply notes to me in recent weeks.

Do you or any of your Utah DPS colleagues or other state government colleagues of yours have any reaction to the following currently-copyrighted online factual statement from "Alcohol.org" that I obtained this month during my leisuretime?

This is what I myself posted online this month in regard that online report:

A motor-vehicle alcohol-related traffic-safety ranking of U.S. states this year that was based on the most recent available information, from 2017, may possibly reflect the comparatively low percentage of motorists in this refreshingly wholesome Beehive State who are driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
The factual source on this is "Alcohol.org", a copyright-2022 website provided by Recovery Brands, LLC, a subsidiary of American Addiction Centers, Inc. (AAC). According to this website, "AAC is a leading provider of both residential and outpatient addiction treatment services."
The apparently authoritative blog for which the link is provided below (last item) contains the following very noteworthy statement:
"Based on the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities per 100k (100,000) people, (Utah's bordering state of) Wyoming had the highest rate of fatalities in the U.S., with a rate of 7.6. South Carolina and North Dakota took second and third place, both with an average rate of 6.3 and 6.1, respectively.
"New Jersey had the fewest alcohol-impaired driving fatalities with a rate of 1.4 per 100k people. Minnesota and New York tied for second on this metric with a rate 1.5 and UTAH PLACED THIRD WITH 1.7 (UPPER-CASED by myself, John Kevin McMillan of Salt Lake County, Utah, FOR EMPHASIS)."
The bordering state of New Mexico, by contrast, had an alcohol-impaired motor-vehicle-driving fatalities rate of 5.8---more than three times the rate of Utah. The bordering state of Idaho had an alcohol-impaired motor-vehicle-driving fatalities rate of 3.5, more than twice the rate of Utah. The Utah-bordering states of Colorado and Nevada each had respective alcohol-impaired motor-vehicle-driving fatalities rates of 3.2 and 3---each nearly twice the rate of Utah.
In the category of driving fatalities per 100,000 residents that involved a motorist under the influence of alcohol who was age 20 or younger, UTAH HAD THE THIRD-LOWEST RATE OF ANY U.S. STATE: 0.5 PER 100,000 RESIDENTS.
Neighboring states to Utah and their comparable per-capita incidence of driving fatalities per 100,000 residents that involved a motorist under the influence of alcohol who was age 20 or younger are:
Wyoming, 2.5---five times the rate of Utah;
New Mexico, 2.1---more than four times the rate of Utah;
Colorado, 1.1---more than twice the rate of Utah;
Idaho, 1 --- twice the fatality rate of Utah; and
Nevada, 0.9, nearly twice the fatality rate of Utah.




John Kevin McMillan

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