Lights On! A new partnership between Bemidji Police Department and Beltrami County Sheriff's Office

BEMIDJI, MN: The Bemidji Police Department and Beltrami County Sheriff's Office are very excited to announce our new

partnership with LIGHTS ON! LIGHTS ON! a microgrants sponsored program is an innovative solution to help motorists

get the necessary repairs to their vehicles lighting issues, making our roads safer, helping to improve the financial

stability for the recipient, and improves law enforcement and community relations.

LIGHTS ON! Will begin as a two part program starting Monday, March 9th with Deputies and Police Officers inviting

motorists that are stopped for an equipment violation to participate in a survey conducted through Wilder Research.

The research period will last for four weeks and then beginning in April, the Deputies and Police Officers will begin

issuing vouchers-instead of citations, to the motorist to get the necessary lighting related repairs completed at no cost to

them.

WHY THE SURVEY FIRST? The survey program is intended to take feedback from the public to improve the LIGHTS ON!

Program as well as improve local policing initiatives and the driver's experience with law enforcement in the future.

What to expect? If you are stopped for an equipment violation, the Bemidji Police Officer or the Beltrami County Deputy

Sheriff will ask you if you would to participate in the survey through Wilder Research and will provide you with a link to

take the approximately 15 minute long survey. Those completing the survey will be sent a $10 gift card from Wilder

Research for Target or Amazon. YOU DO NOT need to participate in the survey-it is completely voluntary and for those

that do complete the survey, your information will not be linked back to you or the individual officer, Deputy, or the law

enforcement agency.

Then beginning in April, if you are stopped for an equipment violation, such as the burned out headlamp or tail light by a

Beltrami County Deputy or Bemidji Police Officer, the Deputy or Officer will issue you a voucher to get the necessary

repairs completed locally at no charge to you, up to $250.00. Tires Plus of Bemidji, Southside Towing and Recovery, and

Stu's Auto Electric will be the local repair shops participating in the program.

More information about LIGHTS ON! can be found at http://www.lightsonus.org/ or by contacting the Bemidji Police

Department or Beltrami County Sheriff's Office at 218-333-9111 or through the web at

http://www.co.beltrami.mn.us/Departments/Law%20enforcement/Sheriff.html or https://www.ci.bemidji.mn.us/police