For Selective Traffic Enforcement Program
By City of Hercules
At the Nov. 12 City Council meeting, the Hercules Police Department accepted a $75,000 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). This funding will support traffic enforcement efforts that reduce impaired driving and other primary collision factors.
“This grant serves our commitment to keeping Hercules’ drivers and pedestrians safe,” said Police Chief Joseph Vasquez. “With this funding, we are able to further educate our community on safe driving practices and enforce regulations on speeding and impaired driving.”
According to the staff report for the agenda item, “The grant will allow the City to focus on a comprehensive approach to enforce, educate, and encourage compliance with seatbelt use, impaired driving, speed limit, and other traffic laws. Education and enforcement are two very important components of collision reduction. The acceptance of the grant will allow the Hercules Police Department to bolster its enforcement and education efforts in the aforementioned areas of concern.”
The STEP grant will enhance the City’s ongoing efforts to improve roadway safety by focusing on critical enforcement areas such as impaired driving, distracted driving, pedestrian safety and seatbelt and speed laws while also supporting community education initiatives that encourage safe driving behaviors. The funding will allow the Hercules Police Department to perform overtime operations for DUI checkpoints, saturation patrols and traffic enforcement operations linked to distracted and impaired driving.
Hercules has previously used STEP grant funding to purchase electronic citation writers, collision-investigation software and a speed trailer with a digital message board for special events, road closures and speed deterrence. This new funding will allow the Hercules Police Department to continue strengthening its enforcement and education efforts.
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