Area police departments were awarded traffic safety grant funds from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute to conduct overtime patrols and address reckless driving in Indiana.
Law enforcement departments will use the funding to conduct “zero tolerance” overtime patrols and sobriety checkpoints, most of which will take place during dedicated enforcement periods throughout the year.
According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic fatalities in Indiana remain high and continue to exceed pre-pandemic levels. As of early October, preliminary data shows a total of 683 people have been killed in crashes.
Locally, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Department received $59,400, and the La Porte City Police Department received $40,000. The Starke County Sheriff’s Department received funding through St. Joseph County’s grant submission and will have part of the $181,000 approved for seven departments that includes the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department.
