GRADY COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - The Grady County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) will launch a new operation this Memorial Day called Operation Levi in honor of Levi Knop who tragically lost his life in Grady County to a reckless driver.

“Children think they are invincible,” said Joy Knop, Levi’s mother. “And not just children, there’s adults that think driving fast won’t affect anyone but themselves. The morning of Levi’s wreck, I’m positive [the other driver] didn’t set out to kill him that day.”

Operation Levi is a community-driven safety campaign with a unique and positive approach. This operation will focus on recognizing and rewarding safe drivers.

By promoting positive reinforcement, the GCSO aims to build trust and encourage a culture of safety throughout the community.

“We’re going to recognize the people that are doing good, just as much or, if not, more so than the people who are doing bad. No good deed goes unnoticed. Grady County, I want y’all to know that,” said Sheriff Earl Prince.

GCSO said drivers who demonstrate safe and responsible behavior such as wearing a seat belt, stopping completely at stop signs and using a turn signal, will be acknowledged with a small token of appreciation such as gift cards from local businesses, a personal letter from Sheriff Prince or a message from the donor expressing the importance of their positive example.

The sheriff’s office will not reward good drivers by pulling them over. Instead, drivers may be approached by officers when they arrive to their destination and begin to exit the vehicle.

“They may stop, pull up somewhere. We are going to pull up behind them and say, ‘Hey, my name is Deputy so-and-so, and I have this on behalf of the Grady County Sheriff’s Office. Thank you for obeying the law,” continued Sheriff Prince.

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