Grant Award Includes Funds Traffic Enforcement through September of 2019.
Riverside Police Department was awarded an Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Traffic Safety (IDOT-DTS) Highway Safety traffic enforcement grant for $25,059.20.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has helped states implement traffic safety programs across the country to aid police agencies in conducting intensive, highly publicized campaigns of increased enforcement for speeding, impaired driving and seatbelt laws.
The Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant runs October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019. Officers begin the grant with public education and conclude with a traffic enforcement phase including special enforcement mobilizations, DUI saturation patrols, speed enforcement, and general traffic enforcement.
Through traffic enforcement - with special emphasis on speed, occupant restraint and impaired driving, the goal is to reduce traffic crashes, thus decreasing fatalities and injuries. Police also want to achieve increased use of seatbelts and child safety and booster seats.
“Riverside Police Department is fortunate to receive funding from IDOT that will help our department provide education and enforcement of traffic safety. This helps us achieve department and community goals of making Riverside a safer place for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians,” said Sgt. Jeff Miller.
RPD provides their officers with specialized DUI and drugged driving training such as Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).
This grant award is also funding a portable breath tester (PBT) for roadside use by officers on street patrol.
The grant award is a no match grant and fully funded by IDOT.