3 local municipalities get grants to combat DUI, prevent traffic collisions

Three local municipalities have received grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety aimed at enforcement and awareness efforts with regards to traffic safety.

The Hollister Police Department has been awarded a $51,000 grant it plans to use as part of the city’s ongoing efforts to keep roadways safe and improve quality of life through both enforcement and education.

“This grant provides us with the added resources we need as we continue our efforts to make the roadways safe for travelers and the residents of this community,” said Hollister Police Lt. Eric Olson.

The Gilroy Police Department received a grant for approximately $107,000 for the same efforts.

“Collision prevention and traffic enforcement continue to be among the top priorities of the Gilroy Police Department,” said Chief Denise Turner. “Unfortunately we have recently experienced traffic related fatalities here in our community. This award will certainly complement our traffic division’s education and enforcement efforts.”

Activities that these grants will fund include:

• Traffic safety educational presentations

• DUI checkpoints

• DUI saturation patrols

• Motorcycle safety enforcement

• Distracted driving enforcement

• Bicycle and pedestrian enforcement operations

• Seat belt and child safety seat enforcement

• Speed, red light, and stop sign enforcement

• Compilation of DUI “Hot Sheets,” identifying worst-of-the-worst DUI offenders

Also receiving one of the grants is the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, which is receiving nearly $405,000 to fund a Vertical Prosecution team to work DUI cases from arrest through sentencing. Funding from this DUI Prosecution Grant will aid the District Attorney’s Office in handling cases throughout each step of the criminal process, prosecuting both alcohol and drug-impaired driving cases. In fatal and major injury DUI vehicle collisions, members of the team may respond to the crash scene to be part of the investigation.

Prosecution team members also will work with the State’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Program to expand knowledge and resources in the office by obtaining and delivering specialized training, including training in the emerging problem of drug-impaired driving.