STONEHAM 一 Chief James McIntyre is pleased to announce that the Stoneham Police Department has been awarded $35,000 in grant funding to improve road safety.
The $35,000 grant funds were made available by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) and allocated by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR). This funding will be used to support the Municipal Road Safety Program, which assists in developing enforcement strategies to reduce roadway crashes, injuries, fatalities, and associated economic losses in Massachusetts.
The Stoneham Police Department will use the funds to increase traffic enforcement campaigns in six target areas including impaired driving, seat belt enforcement, speed enforcement, distracted driving, pedestrian and bicycle safety.
The campaigns will be conducted with increased patrols in targeted locations to improve the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
The Department also will use grant funding to conduct bicycle safety assemblies at Stoneham schools and for other groups, and deploy police bicycle patrols to engage and educate youths and children who are not wearing their helmets.
Since 2019, officers conducted in excess of 250 traffic stops during similar safety campaigns. During one pedestrian safety enforcement mobilization, officers conducted a traffic stop for texting-and-driving, which resulted in the arrest of a wanted felon who was charged with cocaine trafficking.
“These grants have been vital to our ongoing driver and pedestrian safety efforts. Thanks to the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, the Department has purchased handheld LiDAR units, multiple radar speed signs, and a radar speed trailer,” Chief McIntyre said. “Grant money also supports distribution of bicycle helmets and our ongoing child safety seat installation program.”
About the FFY 2023 Municipal Road Safety (MRS) Grant Program
The Office of Grants and Research (OGR) allocated $5,000,000 in FFY 2023 grant funding to municipal police departments within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The grants are designed to provide substantial flexibility in addressing local traffic safety issues, allowing funding beyond enforcement to include equipment options and developing novel traffic safety programs.