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Off-duty officers patrolling work zones to keep drivers and workers safe

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published April 29, 2025 at 6:37 AM EDT
The White House has warned that without more money for the federal Highway Trust Fund, which helps states pay for road and infrastructure projects, construction delays will put thousands out of work.
Seth Perlman
/
AP
File: The White House has warned that without more money for the federal Highway Trust Fund, which helps states pay for road and infrastructure projects, construction delays will put thousands out of work.

In another effort to help maintain safety in work zones, NCDOT is working with off-duty law enforcement officers to increase drivers’ awareness.

The HAWKS Program, short for Helping All Workzones Keep Safe, is a joint initiative between NCDOT and the North Carolina Highway Patrol that uses off-duty officers to monitor and patrol work zones. The program is funded with $2 million from NCDOT and is used to cover about 300 law enforcement shifts per month statewide.

Locations are chosen based on metrics including crash history, average speed, and traffic volume. Last year, HAWKS patrolled 56 projects statewide, generating about 31,000 citations and keeping both drivers and workers safe.

Statewide, close to 50 people died in work zone crashes last year.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston