MERRIMAC — Chief Eric M. Shears is pleased to announce that the Merrimac Police Department has been awarded $19,859 in grant funding to improve road safety.
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 Merrimac Police Department will use the funds to increase traffic enforcement overtime and purchase traffic enforcement equipment. The funds will also help to increase bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement and education, purchase and distribute bicycle and pedestrian safety items to community members, and cover expenses for the department’s annual bicycle rodeo during Old Home Days.
“As a small department, we greatly appreciate the support of the Baker-Polito Administration in pursuing our goal of making Merrimac as safe a community as possible,” Chief Shears said.
Chief Shears would like to acknowledge Sgt. Richard Holcroft, who wrote the grant proposal and will manage the award.
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.