Lodi Police Department receives $130,000 grant for traffic safety programs

LODI — The California Office of Traffic Safety has awarded the Lodi Police Department a $130,000 grant for a year-long program of special enforcement and public awareness efforts to prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries.

“This grant provides the means for the police department to continue developing educational programs — one of the primary ways we strive to promote safe driving. The grant also allows for officers to focus on specific driving conduct that leads to collisions as well as to take aim at impaired drivers through checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols,” Lodi Police Lt. Shad Canestrino said.

The number of people killed on the roadways has climbed nearly 17 percent across the state, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with an alarming rise in pedestrian and bicycle fatalities in addition to incidents caused by distracted and impaired driving.

The grant will fund: educational presentations; DUI checkpoints; DUI saturation patrols; bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement; seat belt and child safety enforcement; speed, red light and stop sign enforcement; compilation of DUI “Hot Sheets” in identifying the worst DUI offenders; and specialized DUI and drugged driving training, such as field sobriety testing and drug recognition evaluation.

— Christina Cornejo