Fountain Valley Police Department Press Releases
| TO PRESS: | FROM: Lt. Ken Hounsley (714) 593-4529 Oct 19 2009 |
SPECIAL TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM | |
| More traffic enforcement and safer streets are coming to Fountain Valley beginning this month thanks to a recent $87,264 grant awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety. New equipment purchases and increased special traffic enforcement measures are on tap for the Fountain Valley Police Department as law enforcement continues their commitment to keeping our roadways safe through both enforcement and education. The Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant is to assist with efforts to deal with increased traffic safety problems and reduce the number of persons killed and injured in traffic collisions. The grant activities will specifically target red light running, speeding motorists, motorcycle safety, and DUI offenders. This will be done through the use of selective enforcement details, DUI/driver’s license checkpoints, DUI saturation patrols, and court stings where DUI offenders with suspended or revoked driver’s licenses are observed leaving court while behind the wheel. The grant also provides funding for a Total Station accident reconstruction unit, eight Preliminary Alcohol Screening (PAS) devices, one computer workstation, and overtime to conduct the enforcement activities. “Every driver and every motorcyclist must get back to the basics: drive sober, always drive or ride safely, buckle up and we will save lives. It’s just that simple,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the Office of Traffic Safety. “This grant will help make Fountain Valley just that much safer of a place to live and work.” New this year is the addition of two special Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operations. Motorcycle fatalities have been on the rise in California, increasing 175 percent statewide in the last decade from 204 killed in 1998 to 560 killed in 2008. Fountain Valley Police Officers will be conducting specialized enforcement efforts throughout the course of the next year. Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcycles. Officers will be cracking down on traffic violations made by motorcyclists, and other vehicle drivers, that result in far too many motorcycle collisions, injuries and deaths. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. | |
| Lt. Ken Hounsley Traffic Division (714) 593-4529 | |
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