Agencies awarded traffic enforcement grant
Multiple law enforcement agencies in Warren County have been awarded a grant to help off-set expenses from targeted traffic enforcement.
The funding comes from the Police Traffic Services Grant and is part of a three county cooperative — Warren, Elk and McKean.
Charlie Anderson with Conewango Township said that the tri-county area received about $80,000 for two years.
“Warren County agencies are participating in the Police Traffic Services Grant which includes, aggressive driving, Buckle Up and Click it or Ticket, and impaired driving,” he explained. This is a two year grant which will encompass all the above projects with multiple waves from each one throughout each fiscal year 2021 and 2022.”
The funds will help cover the cost of enforcement at peak times — Thanksgiving, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, etc.
“Each department is allocated a certain amount of money to have an officer or officers work strictly traffic enforcement,” Andersen said.
One such wave is coming up next week.
In Warren, the Conewango Township, City of Warren and Youngsville Borough police departments are participating in “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement from Nov. 16 through Nov. 29.
“The goal is to reduce unbelted injuries and deaths on Pennsylvania highways through coordinated enforcement using Traffic Enforcement Zones and Roving Patrols,” Andersen explained. “Traffic Enforcement Zones combine stationary enforcement and checkpoint tactics on roadways with high numbers of unbuckled crashes. Citations will be issued to motorists who are unbuckled or transporting unrestrained children.”
PennDOT data shows that such crashes resulted in 330 fatalities in 2019.
Over 400 municipal agencies in Pennsylvania will be participating in this wave.
Pennsylvania’s seat belt laws require drivers and passengers to buckle up and children age four and under to be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat. A 2016 law requires children 2-years-old and under to be in a rear-facing seat.