Full Notification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1st, 2019
CONTACT: Sergeant M. McGehee
Santa Maria Police Department
805-928-3781 X.2291
[email protected]

Santa Maria Police Department Awarded Traffic Education and Enforcement Grant From the OTS

Santa Maria, Calif. – Santa Maria Police Department received a $260,000.00 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a one-year enforcement and education program. The money will fund various activities intended to reduce deaths and injuries on California roads.

“OTS enhances the department’s ability to provide our community with increased traffic safety education coupled with enforcement operations focused on Driving Under the Influence/Distracted Driving and Pedestrian Safety.” – Santa Maria Police Department Commander Marc Schneider

The grant-related activities are for the 2020 federal fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2019 to Sept. 30, 2020.

The funding from the OTS will be used for numerous programs, including:
• DUI/driver’s license checkpoints.
• Patrols specifically looking for suspected alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers.
• Patrols targeting violations of California’s hands-free cell phone law and vehicle code violations by drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians that put other roadway users at risk.
• Patrols targeting the primary causes of crashes: Speeding, improper turns, running stop signs or signals, right-of-way violations and driving on the wrong side of the road.
• Patrols specifically looking for seat belt and child safety seat violations.
• Traffic safety education presentations for youth and community members on distracted and impaired driving, bicycle and pedestrian safety.
• Serving warrants to multiple DUI offenders.
• Creating “Hot Sheets” identifying repeat DUI offenders.
• Officer training to identify suspected impaired drivers and conduct sobriety tests.

“Getting in a vehicle remains one of the most dangerous things we do,” OTS director Barbara Rooney said. “We must continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to shift that realization and make traveling on our roads safer.”

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

Prepared by: Sergeant McGehee/ SMPD Traffic Bureau Supervisor