The department was also invited to be in a car show at the symposium, with only two cars per region selected.

The Columbus Police Department strives to provide a safe environment for all who live, work and travel through the Town of Columbus, Beddingfield said.

Through the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, conducts multi-agency check points with area departments. Columbus was at the top in the state with 13,900 points, which equated to $13,900 for the department. In 2011, Columbus earned 9,927 points.

Recently Columbus has obtained various equipment through its points, including new radar equipment in every vehicle, new alcohol detecting sensors, window tint meters, stop sticks, flashlights, traffic vests and a trailer and equipment for check points.

“It allows a small agency like ours to have state-of-the-art equipment we would otherwise not be able to have,” Beddingfield said.

According to a recent traffic safety study by the Center for Transportation Policy Studies (CTPS) at UNC Charlotte and the AAA Carolinas Foundation for Traffic Safety, the Town of Columbus has improved from a ranking in the fourth quartile in 2011 to the second quartile in 2012 among all cities under a population of 10,000.

The top 10 point-getters in the state for the program were: Columbus, Charlotte-Mecklenberg, Kannapolis, Harnett County, Gastonia, Lumberton, Guilford County, Garner, Havelock Public Safety and Raleigh.