News

OFFICER NOT SLOWING DOWN IN HIS QUEST TO TEACH SAFETY

Contact: RoBurchette@gtcc.edu (Released 8/3/11)

JAMESTOWN - Jim Poer, who has spent more than 30 years in law enforcement and is considered an expert on traffic safety matters, isn't about to slow down from efforts to make driving as safe as possible for North Carolina drivers.
Even quadruple heart bypass surgery last year didn't stop him.. Poer, who has worked for GTCC Campus Police for two years, said he was back up to speed in his policing duties about three months after his heart problem.

Poer joined an elite group of only 153 officers in all North Carolina law enforcement agencies - an estimated 22,000 officers -- on July 20 when he was awarded the Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Certificate by the N.C. Justice Academy.
That program, which involves mastering several aspects of traffic and related topics, requires 500 hours of training focused on traffic enforcement and investigation. Poer had 700 hours of special training over a nine-year span.
Poer, 58, spent nine years with Guilford County Sherriff's Department., and more than 19 years with High Point Department. where he retired as a master police officer.

He teaches other officers - state and federal - about traffic enforcement. Courses necessary for earning the special certification include, Introduction to Traffic Crash Investigation, At-Scene Traffic Crash Investigation, Drug Enforcement for Patrol Officers, Intoxilyer 5000 Operator, RADAR, and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing.

Poer, a senior crash reconstructionist, also teaches Radar/Time Distance/LIdar at several community colleges and at the N.C. Justice Academy.  He completed courses in crash reconstruction, pedestrian and bicycle reconstruction, heavy truck and bus reconstruction, energy relationships and vehicle damage at Texas A&M University and at seminars at North Florida University.
The Greensboro native graduated from Guilford College with a bachelor's degree in accounting. "I've never worked in accounting but that's the way I think," he said, indicating he has done a lot of calculating about highway safety.
He served on a state traffic safety committee for six years.

Poer and wife Wanda have four grown children.
One of his favorite projects is the Street Safe Teen Drivers Program, a weekend program for drivers ages 16-21 who are referred by the courts after having driving problems. "Some also are in the program who don't have driving offenses but  their parents enrolled  them  to help them become more aware of traffic safety," Poer said. The program was started in 2007 in Wilmington and is held in several places in the state. Poer works with Street Safe at Western Guilford High School in Greensboro.
Poer said that he "loves" his career in law enforcement."I said when I started that when it no longer was fun I would quit. I'm still doing it. I recommend law enforcement as a career without any hesitation."

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