Politics & Government
FV Police Get $60,000 Traffic-Safety Grant
The department plans to use the money on enhanced enforcement, targeted officer training and public education.
The state has awarded the Fountain Valley Police Department a $60,000 grant for a yearlong program intended to prevent traffic deaths and injuries.
The project will be funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Police Department’s enforcement and public-awareness efforts will include:
- Specialized training for officers
- DUI saturation patrols
- Motorcycle-safety enforcement
- Distracted-driving enforcement
- Speed, red-light and stop-sign enforcement
- Compilation of “hot sheets,” identifying the worst DUI offenders.
“We realize that no one likes getting a ticket," said Fountain Valley Police Chief Daniel S. Llorens, "but also we know from experience that enforcement modifies driving habits. Safety violations, especially those related to impaired driving, are definitely on our radar screen. To be blunt: Impaired drivers can expect to go to jail in Fountain Valley.”
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According to the department, overall traffic deaths declined nearly 39 percent between 2006 and 2010 in California, but state and federal officials think they will see a rise in 2011’s numbers. DUI deaths remain the largest sector, at nearly 30 percent of traffic fatalities, the department said. Authorities say recent trends show increases in two new categories – distracted driving and drug-impaired driving.
