The San Luis Obispo Police Department has been awarded a $190,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety for a “yearlong program of special enforcements and public awareness efforts,” according to a department announcement.
The program aims to prevent traffic related deaths and injuries and includes a laundry list of activities that the traffic division already carry out on a regular basis.
Most notable are DUI and sobriety checkpoints that are a common feature around notable “drinking” holidays — New Year’s, St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween among others.
The SLOPD adds that it will use some of the funding for ongoing education efforts, noting that deaths and injuries are on the rise after a 4-year lull from 2006-10.
“The number of persons killed and injured in traffic collisions has been slowly rising,” wrote Sgt. Fred Mickel. “Particularly alarming are recent increases in pedestrian and bicycle fatalities, the growing dangers of distracting technologies, and the emergence of drug-impaired driving as a major problem. This grant funding will provide opportunities to combat these and other devastating problems such as drunk driving, speeding and crashes at intersections.”
While DUI checkpoints and extra patrols are well known tactics the department uses to nab drivers who shouldn’t be behind the wheel, the money will also go to some less publically known operations.
Sting operations conducted at the site of the DUI-traffic court will cite individuals driving away from the premises who have their license suspended or revoked.
Police will also use the money to update DUI “Hot Sheets, identifying worst-of-the-worst DUI offenders” and on warrant service operations targeting multiple DUI offenders. Other priorities include distracted driving enforcement; seat belt and child safety seat enforcement; bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement; speed, red light, and stop sign enforcement; and specialized DUI and “drugged driving” training for officers, in addition to standard field sobriety.
