LBPD AWARDED $440,000 GRANT FROM THE OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM TO INCREASE SAFETY ON ROADS

The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) was awarded a $440,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). This grant will support our ongoing enforcement and education programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on our roads.

"We are grateful to receive this grant, which will strengthen our traffic enforcement efforts and improve road safety," LBPD Commander Jeremy Boshnack said. "By increasing enforcement of traffic laws and focusing on high-risk areas, we aim to reduce dangerous driving behaviors, prevent crashes, and make our roads safer for everyone."

The grant will provide additional programs and resources, including:

• DUI checkpoints and saturations focused on stopping suspected impaired drivers.
• High-visibility distracted driving enforcement operations targeting drivers in violation of California's hands-free cell phone law.
• Enforcement operations focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.
• Enforcement operations focused on top violations that cause crashes: speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and/or red-light running, and improper turning or lane changes.
• Conduct specialized enforcement operations focusing specifically on street racing and sideshow activities.
• Community presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, and bicycle and pedestrian safety.
• Collaborative enforcement efforts with neighboring agencies.
• Officer training and/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).

The grant program will run through September 2025.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.