King City Police Department receives funds from California Office of Traffic Safety

KING CITY, CALIF. (KION-TV)- Just like Salinas and Santa Cruz, King City Police is receiving a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).

Police say they received a $72,000 grant from OTS for ongoing enforcement and education programs to help reduce serious injuries and deaths on city roads.

In reaction to the grant, Sergeant Anthony Shaw said, “This funding will strengthen our commitment to public safety in our community. We will be able to increase our efforts in making our roads safer for everyone and focus on critical areas such as distracted driving, impaired driving and speeding."

The grant will provide additional programs and provide extra resources to things including:

• DUI checkpoints and patrols focused on stopping suspected impaired drivers.

• High-visibility distracted driving enforcement operations targeting drivers in violation of California’s hands-free cell phone law.

• Enforcement operations focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.

• Enforcement operations focused on top violations that cause crashes: speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and/or red-light running, and improper turning or lane changes.

• Community presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and bicycle and pedestrian safety.

• Collaborative enforcement efforts with neighboring agencies.

• Officer training and/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).

The grant will run until September 2024.