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Two local law enforcement agencies made a showing this week at the 2008 Governor's Highway Safety Office Law Enforcement Challenge.

The Blount County Sheriff's Office placed first in its class state-wide and the Alcoa Police Department placed third in its class and took home the Rookie of the Year Award -- given to the top agency participating in the challenge for the first time.

The Law Enforcement Challenge is a competition designed to recognize and reward the best overall traffic safety programs across the state and the country as judged by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Similar sizes and types of agencies were judged on local efforts to enforce laws and educate the public about occupant protection, impaired driving, and speeding. The winning safety programs combined officer training, public information, and enforcement to reduce crashes and injuries within their jurisdictions.

In addition to receiving the state honors, the sheriff's office was awarded a $5,000 worth of equipment, including an in-car digital camera system.

This is the third year in a row that the sheriff's office has placed in the competition. In 2007, the office placed third in the state in its division. In 2006, the sheriff's office placed first in the state, as well as third on the national level.

Alcoa Police Chief Ken Burge said he was proud of his department's showing at the challenge.

"We actually came away with two great awards," he said.

Burge gave a lot of credit to all of the patrol officers in the department, and especially to the two traffic safety officers -- Rodney Wilson and Jay Cameron. Alcoa's traffic safety unit was started thanks to a grant from the Governor's Highway Safety Office.

With the implementation of the sheriff's office Traffic Safety Unit in October of 2002, traffic enforcement and statistics have improved drastically since the highly visible black traffic safety units were introduced. Speeding citations, DUI arrests, and child restraint and seat belt citations, continue to prove effective every year.

In addition, accidents and fatalities on the section of U.S. Highway 129, known as "The Dragon," have declined with increased presence on this stretch of roadway.

The Maryville Police Department won a DUI trailer -- filled with cones, signs and equipment -- for participating in the challenge.