The Newman Police Department was awarded a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety for Traffic Enforcement Program to increase safety on local roads and raise awareness on good driving practices.
The Newman Police Department was awarded a $55,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The grant will be used to increase traffic enforcement and education throughout the community and provide traffic safety programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on our roads.
“One of the most frequent complaints our department receives relates to unsafe driving practices within our community,” Newman Police Sgt. Ashley Williams said. “This grant allows us to supplement our existing traffic enforcement efforts in making our roadways safer for everyone. There will be an emphasis on enforcement of some of the most dangerous driving behaviors to include speeding, impaired driving, and distracted driving.”
The grant will provide additional programs and resources, including:
* DUI checkpoints and patrols focused on stopping suspected impaired drivers.
* High-visibility distracted driving enforcement operations targeting drivers in violation of California’s hands-free cell phone law.
* Enforcement operations focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.
* Enforcement operations focused on top violations that cause crashes: speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and/or red-light running, and improper turning or lane changes.
* Community presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, and bicycle and pedestrian safety.
* Officer training and/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).
The grant program will run through September 2025.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
