SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department has been awarded a $330,000 federal grant by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for year-long program dedicated to special enforcement and public awareness to eliminate traffic related deaths and injuries.
In a press release to Canyon News from Sgt. Rudy Camarena of the SMPD, the department will use the funds to keep the roadways safe and improve the quality of life by utilizing enforcement and education.
The number of individuals killed and injured in traffic collisions dropped significantly from 2006 and 2010, but saw a small increase in 2011 and 2012. Officials are particularly concerned about the increase in pedestrian and motorcycle fatalities and the danger of using technology while on the road. Funding from the grant will be used to fight these issues, along with drunk, drugged and speeding while driving.
“California’s roadways are still among the safest in the nation,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. “But to meet future mobility, safety, and sustainability objectives, we must create safer roadways for all users. The Santa Monica Police Department will be using these and other resources to reach the vision we all share – Toward zero deaths, every 1 counts.”
Funds from the grant will be used to do the following:
-Educational presentations
-DUI checkpoints
-DUI saturation patrols
– Motorcycle safety enforcement
-Distracted driving enforcement
-Bicycle and pedestrian enforcement
-Traffic enforcement operations
-Warrant service operations targeting multiple DUI offenders
-Compilation of DUI “Hot Sheets,” identifying worst-of-the-worst DUI offenders
-Specialized DUI and drugged driving training such as Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and Drug Recognition Evaluator (DRE)
Funding for the program is provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
