The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) has been awarded a $269,500 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a yearlong enforcement and public awareness program. The safety of everyone traveling is the focus of the grant and will assist CMPD’s efforts to reduce deaths and injuries on Costa Mesa roads.
“The CMPD Traffic Safety Bureau receives a lot of community feedback and this OTS grant will help us address community concerns about the city roadways and traffic safety,” Lt. Clint Dieball said. “This funding allows us to educate and enhance the safety of all residents and we are grateful to have OTS’ support.”
The one-year grant from OTS for the 2021 federal fiscal year, from Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021, will fund the following various education and enforcement activities:
- 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.
- Community education presentations 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/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from OTS, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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