Santa Cruz Police Department Awarded $85,000 Grant From The OTS

Press release from the City of Santa Cruz:

October 26, 2020

Santa Cruz, Calif. - The safety of everyone traveling is the focus of a grant awarded to the Santa Cruz Police Department. The $85,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) will assist in Santa Cruz Police Department efforts to reduce deaths and injuries on Santa Cruz roads.

"These are trying times, and now more than ever, it is important that we are at the forefront of traffic safety," Santa Cruz Police Department Sergeant Wes Morey said. "This funding allows us to educate and enhance the safety of all residents."

The one-year grant is for the 2021 federal fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021.

The grant will fund a variety of traffic safety programs, including:

• Patrols with emphasis on alcohol and drug-impaired driving prevention.
• Patrols with emphasis on awareness and education of California's hands-free cell phone law.
• Patrols with emphasis on education of traffic rights for bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Patrols with emphasis on awareness and education of primary causes of crashes: excess speed, failure to yield, failure to stop at stop signs/signals, improper turning/lane changes.
• Officer training and/or recertification: Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).

"Through education and behavior changes, we hope to create an environment that is safe and equitable for all road users in our community," Sergeant Morey said.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Santa Cruz Police Awarded $85,000 OTS Grant

This press release was produced by the City of Santa Cruz. The views expressed here are the author’s own.