Full Notification

The Los Banos Police Department has been awarded a $44,016.00 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). The grant will fund a year-long special enforcement and public awareness program to prevent traffic related deaths and injuries. The Los Banos Police Department will use the funding as part of the City’s ongoing commitment to keep our roadways safe and improve the quality of life through both enforcement and education.

“Our goal has always been the increased safety of both motorists and pedestrians on our roadways. We value the lives of everyone within the City and afford extra attention to keeping School Zones, Residential Neighborhoods, and City parks areas safe. Our City has experienced the high cost of impaired drivers and the Los Banos Police Department maintains a zero tolerance position for those caught driving under the influence. With this grant we will be able to increase roadway safety with additional officers focusing on traffic needs and to host educational classes for the public to learn how we can all work together towards our traffic goals.”
- Christopher Borchardt, Police Officer

After falling dramatically between 2006 and 2010, the number of persons killed and injured in traffic collisions saw slight increases in 2011 and 2012. Particularly worrisome are recent increases in pedestrian and motorcycle fatalities and the dangers of distracting technologies. This grant funding will provide opportunities to combat these and other devastating problems such as drunk and drugged driving and speeding.

“California’s roadways are still among the safest in the nation. But to meet future mobility, safety, and sustainability objectives, we must create safer roadways for all users. The Los Banos Police Department will be using these and other resources to reach the vision we all share – Toward zero deaths, every 1 counts.”
- Rhonda Craft, OTS Director

Activities that the grant will fund include:
-Educational presentations
-DUI checkpoints
-DUI saturation patrols
-Motorcycle safety enforcement
-Distracted driving enforcement
-Seat belt and child safety seat enforcement
-Speed, red light, and stop sign enforcement
-Warrant service operations targeting multiple DUI offenders
-Compilation of DUI “Hot Sheets,” identifying worst-of-the-worst DUI offenders
-Specialized DUI and drugged driving training such as Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and Drug Recognition Evaluator (DRE)
-Court “sting” operations to cite individuals driving from DUI court after ignoring their license suspension or revocation
-Stakeout operations to observe the “worst-of-the-worst” repeat DUI offender probationers with suspended or revoked driver licenses

Funding for this program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to continue to work together to bring an end to these tragedies. If you see a Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.

To leave an anonymous crime tip call 209-827-7070 Ext. 288. If you have access to a computer and the internet you can also leave an anonymous tip at the Police Department’s web page at www.losbanos.org. At the bottom of the “Contact” page simply click on the “report graffiti and other crime” link or visit the Merced Area Crime Stoppers by telephone at 1-855-725-2420, or at www.mercedareacrimestoppers.org