Boardman Police receive nearly $41,000 in traffic safety grants

Chief of Police Jack Nichols recently announced that the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) awarded $40,957.45 in federal traffic safety funding to the Boardman Police Department for the federal fiscal year 2015.

Exactly $24,574.47 was awarded from the state’s Impaired Driving Enforcement Program (IDEP) and another $16,382.98 was awarded from their Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP).

These federal funds are essential in ensuring the police department’s commitment to keeping our community as safe as possible. Based on crash data, officers will be targeting violators for aggressive driving offenses such as speed, distracted driving, impaired driving and seat belt usage. During the warm weather seasons, motorcycle crash reduction will continue to be a point of emphasis.

Crash data shows that 120 alcohol-related crashes caused 73 injuries and four fatalities in Boardman over the three-year period of 2011-2013. To reduce these numbers, as well as six other traffic fatalities that did not involve alcohol and/or drugs, for a grand total of 10 traffic fatalities during that time period, the department will be conducting high-visibility enforcement, working overtime hours and hosting educational and awareness events with grant funds, including participation in the “Click It or Ticket” national seat belt mobilization and the “Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over” national crackdown on impaired driving.

The funds are passed through OCJS from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to support the efforts of safety partners statewide and focus on traffic safety priority areas such as restraint use, impaired driving, motorcycle safety and youthful drivers. Competitive grant proposals are accepted and reviewed by OCJS, with funds awarded to projects that will have the greatest impact on reducing fatal crashes or significantly improving traffic safety systems.

For more information about the Office of Criminal Justice Services and statewide efforts to improve safety on Ohio’s roadways, go to http://www.ocjs.ohio.gov.