photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Kansas Department of Transportation law enforcement liaison Don Hughes, right, presents the Lawrence Police Department with KDOT's platinum safety award on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, at Lawrence City Hall.

For the second year in a row, the Lawrence Police Department has received a top honor for traffic safety from the Kansas Department of Transportation.

KDOT law enforcement liaison Don Hughes presented the “platinum” safety award to members of LPD on Tuesday night at the Lawrence City Commission’s meeting. The department, he said, had told KDOT about its traffic enforcement and other things it does to keep streets safe in school zones, construction zones and more.

“They’re just very active, and that’s what this award is meant to show,” Hughes said.

After presenting the honor, he told the Journal-World that it’s not just about enforcing traffic rules. Among other things, he pointed to the department’s child safety seat inspections and said officers in LPD tend to exceed the normal requirements for training. Lawrence’s law enforcement officers often take advanced classes in things like drug recognition, he said, and they can assist other agencies such as the Highway Patrol, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or the University of Kansas police with that specialized knowledge.

“When they take people to those extended or advanced classes, that really makes them a resource for the community,” Hughes said.