Whittier PD Commence Special Traffic Enforcement Program

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 12, 2009

CONTACT: Sgt. D. Lowe
(562) 945-8256
dlowe@cityofwhittier.org

WHITTIER POLICE COMMENCE SPECIAL
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM

More traffic enforcement and safer streets are coming to Whittier beginning this month thanks to a recent $123,512.00 grant awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety. Increased special traffic enforcement measures are on tap for the Whittier Police Department as law enforcement continues their commitment to keeping our roadways safe through both enforcement and education.

“The focus of the grant is to reduce traffic collisions that result in injuries and or fatalities”, said Sgt. Dan Lowe of the Whittier Police Department. Enforcement of traffic violations is directly linked to the number of traffic collisions that result in injuries and or fatalities. This grant will allow the police department to conduct targeted enforcement for violations that lead directly to traffic collisions.”

The Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant is to assist in 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 DUI offenders, and drivers with suspended or revoked licenses, illegal street racing, red light running, and seatbelt violations. This will be done through the use of DUI/driver’s license checkpoints, DUI Saturation Patrol Units, special enforcement operations, and court stings where DUI offenders with suspended or revoked driver licenses get behind the wheel after leaving court.

The grant also provides funding for overtime to conduct special 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 Whittier just that much safer of a place to live and work.”

New this year is the addition of 2 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.

Whittier 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.


-END-