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The Washington County Sheriff's Office recently received a grant to help with overtime costs during certain hours.
In a statement released Wednesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said $23 million has been awarded to support local and statewide initiatives to improve traffic safety and reduce traffic-related fatalities.
In total, more than 170 grants were awarded to 132 local agencies in 66 counties and to 10 agencies for statewide programming, the statement noted.
The grants are administered by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office which is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
"The programs supported by these grants do such important work to encourage safety on our roadways," said DeWine in the statement. "By offering this grant funding each year, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office can help ensure that the message surrounding the dangers of distracted and impaired driving continues to be reinforced."
The Washington County Sheriff's Office received a grant for $38,318.24.
Major Troy Hawkins of the sheriff's office said the grant will reimburse the department for deputies who sign up to work traffic. When the deputies go out, they are dedicated to traffic stops and don't have to handle calls for things like DUIs or OVIs.
"It's during certain hours stipulated," Hawkins said. "It's standard enforcement hours and they want you to get some cars stopped with warnings and violations."
Overtime is also reimbursed for those who work during impaired driving enforcement hours.
"They are later hours during the day and try to coordinate around holidays, prom nights, things of that nature," he said. "Special events and holidays."
The sheriff's office was the only law enforcement in Washington County to receive the grant.
Hawkins said there are some qualifying factors, such as there has to be at least three fatal crashes within the last year.
The statement noted programs that received traffic safety grants include:
¯ Statewide Programming ($14.57 million) - 29 grants were awarded to agencies to conduct education, enforcement, and awareness initiatives statewide to address traffic safety related priority areas.
¯ Impaired Driving Enforcement and Selective Traffic Enforcement Program ($4.7 million) - 88 grants were awarded to 56 sheriff's offices and 32 police departments for overtime hours used to impact traffic-related fatal crashes that involve impaired driving via alcohol or drugs, seat belt usage, speed, aggressive driving, motorcycles, and failure to yield.
¯ Countywide OVI Task Forces ($2.249 million) - 10 grants were awarded to agencies to conduct countywide high visibility enforcement, public awareness, and impaired driving initiatives.
¯ Safe Community programs ($2.1 million) - 44 countywide grants were awarded to communities to address traffic safety issues that involve impaired driving via alcohol or drugs, seat belt usage, distracted driving, youthful driving, and motorcycles. Ohio's Safe Communities network uses local coalitions to deliver traffic safety messages and programs throughout the year at the local level.
The grant funds are directed to OTSO from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to support local and statewide focus on traffic safety priority areas, including impaired driving, seat belt usage, distracted driving, youthful driving, and motorcycle safety.
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At a Glance:
¯ Washington County Sheriff's Office received $38,000 grant.
¯ Grant funding will be used to reimburse the department for those working overtime for traffic during certain hours.
¯ Gov. DeWine announced $23 million has been awarded to support local and statewide initiatives to improve traffic safety and reduce traffic-related fatalities.
Source: Washington County Sheriff's Office.