Today, the Santa Monica Police Department received a $306,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. This grant will assist in bolstering enforcement and educational programs aimed at reducing serious injuries and fatalities on local roads, as per Santa Monica Police Department.
The grant arrives during a time of heightened focus on traffic safety in Santa Monica. Led by Chief Ramon Batista, The Santa Monica Police Department has prioritized reducing distracted driving, impaired driving, and speeding.
The funding will improve various programs and resources. It will enable the Police Department to conduct high-visibility distracted driving operations and DUI checkpoints, thereby combating impaired driving. A significant portion of the grant will also aim to protect vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians by targeting hazardous driver behaviors.
In addition to, the enforcement operations will target the most common traffic violations, including speeding, failing to yield, stop sign and red light violations, and incorrect turning or lane changes. The Police Department will also deliver community presentations on a range of traffic safety issues like distracted and impaired driving, speeding, and bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Officers will receive specialized training in the Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) programs, further enhancing their ability to tackle impaired driving situations.
The grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety will significantly support the Santa Monica Police Department’s initiatives to improve safety on local roads. The grant program, starting today, will run till September 2024, providing a substantial time frame for its proposed impact.
