Nearly half a million dollars in grants could soon make a difference on the streets of Redding. Three different grants, recently awarded by the Office of Traffic Safety aim to reduce driving under the influence and traffic fatalities.
The first grant, worth $229,000, provides money for red light enforcement, motorcycle safety and distracted driving enforcement. The grant also funds a full time traffic safety officer who spearheads RPD's DUI enforcement efforts. This position is vital because Redding has a major DUI problem.
"Most people think that Redding does not have that type of a , I should say a problem of that gravity, however, being able to educate those folks in Sacramento does in fact have a positive effect on our ability to acquire funds," said Redding Police Traffic Sgt. Casey Bokavich.
That same problem is why the area has received two additional DUI grants. The Redding Police Department got an additional 100-grand to increase DUI checkpoints. The Shasta County Avoid the 6 program also received 100-grand for DUI checkpoints and enforcement.
Officials say they are very thankful for these additional funds, and in the past they have made a dramatic difference.
