Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Awards AZDPS $442K for Traffic Enforcement and Training

Phoenix — The Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) has been awarded approximately $442,000 in grant funding from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). The grants will help with overtime costs associated with driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement, seat belt enforcement operations, overtime costs stemming from targeted distracted driving enforcement operations, and will allow for the purchase of 25 Raptor Radars and 20 light detection and ranging (LIDAR) speed measurement devices, both to be used for traffic enforcement by troopers. Additionally, the grant will be utilized to help troopers become instructors in DUI and drug recognition.

The GOHS grant will also allow the state crime lab to purchase materials and supplies to further support their mission.

The following is a breakdown of grant money allocated from GOHS:

• $100,000 for DUI enforcement

• $62,400 for DUI/Drug Recognition Expert training

• $40,000 for occupant protection (seat belt enforcement)

• $35,000 for distracted driving enforcement

• $160,544 for Raptor Radars and LIDARs

• $45,000 for the state crime lab

“Thanks to the unwavering support of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the Highway Patrol Division will be able to enhance its enforcement efforts of seat belts and distracted driving; both of which continue to be large factors in injury and fatal collisions. The additional training and equipment to recognize impaired drivers and stop dangerous drivers will help in the ongoing effort to make highway travel safer for everyone,” said Lt. Col. Wayde Webb, Assistant Director, Highway Patrol Division.