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Group working to educate drivers on what to do during a traffic stop

An area organization wants to give young people, particularly young men an opportunity to interact with police and understand what to do when you’re pulled over.

An area organization wants to give young people, particularly young men an opportunity to interact with police and understand what to do when you’re pulled over.

It's also a chance for officers to share some of the challenges they face.

“Sir, can I see your driver’s license, please,” said Sgt. Joe Vince during a practice traffic stop.

It's not only nerve-racking for the person being pulled over but there's also a lot going through the police officer's head as he walks up to that driver's window.

And police say a simple traffic stop can often present some of the greatest dangers.

“Our idea is to make sure that law enforcement has an opportunity to provide perspectives on the difficult challenges that their job entails,” Kendall Lee, with the company “Significance,” said.

Lee’s company specializes in sensitivity training and next Saturday, they're holding an event that will focus on engaging young men with law enforcement.

“We have one goal: that is to survive the stop, which means you have and respect and have an understanding of what law enforcement's jobs entitles and duties are, but more importantly what your rights and responsibilities are,” Lee said.

Sgt. Nicholas Williams with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said one of the biggest mistakes people make when they're pulled over is doing too much with their hands, like going through the glove compartment.

In many cases, it makes the officer nervous, and the officer doesn't know what's going on.

“Reaching under the seat, reaching into the back seat, stuff like that,” Sgt. Joe Vince with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said.

“I mean, that just gets an officer feeling uneasy because we're just as nervous on some of these traffic stops as the people we're pulling over,” Sgt. Williams said.

“Cooperate. Don't be nervous,” Sgt. Vince said. “I've pulled over quite a few young drivers and they're pretty nervous, you now, I mean, they really are.”

Which is why Lee said conversations about what to do are critical.

“Some people are interested in building walls and fences, we want to build roads and bridges, and that's what we're attempting to do,” Lee said.

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