Sheriff’s Department receives nearly $2 million grant for traffic safety

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department recently received a nearly $2 million grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to help the department reduce deaths and injuries on streets in their jurisdiction, the department announced.

The $1,905,750 grant will help fund patrols with emphasis on:

— alcohol- and drug-impaired driving prevention;

— awareness and education of California’s hands-free cell phone law;

— education of traffic rights for bicyclists and pedestrians;

— awareness and education of primary causes of crashes: excess speed, failure to yield, failure to stop at stop signs and signals, improper turning and lane changes;

The grant money will also help fund:

— education presentations for the community on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, DUI, speed, bicycle and pedestrian safety;

— collaborative efforts with neighboring agencies on traffic safety priorities;

— officer training and recertification for Standard Field Sobriety Tests, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement and Drug Recognition Expert.

The grant is for the 2021 federal fiscal year, from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2021, according to the sheriff’s department.

“These are trying times, and now more than ever, it is important that we are at the forefront of traffic safety,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Robert Hill said in a statement. “This funding allows us to educate and enhance the safety of all residents.”

“Through education and behavior changes, we hope to create an environment that is safe and equitable for all road users in our community,” Hill added.

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