TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Jeffrey S. Goldman, Police Department
THROUGH: Chief Neal de Jesus, Interim City Manager
DATE: February 21, 2017
Title
GRANT APPLICATION/FDOT/SPEED/AGGRESSIVE DRIVING ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to Approve application for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) FY 17/18 Speed/Aggressive Driving Enforcement program. If awarded, the FDOT reserves the right to award any amount up to the requested total of $100,000.
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Background:
The Police Department is requesting approval to submit an application for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) FY 17/18 Speed/Aggressive Driving Enforcement program. Funding from this grant provides for overtime salary for officers that will engage in speed/aggressive driving enforcement activities. The Delray Beach Police Department believes that this funding will help to provide the citizens of Delray Beach with safer roads.
FDOT’s Highway Safety Program is designed to develop, implement, and manage a data-driven comprehensive traffic safety program aimed at saving lives, preventing injuries, and reducing related costs associated with traffic crashes on Florida’s roadways.The Delray Beach Police Department seeks to protect the citizens of the City by increasing education and enforcement of highway safety regulations. This grant will provide funding support for those efforts. During the duration of the program, the members of the Police Department's Traffic Division/Motors Unit will conduct high visibility enforcement at major intersections where the majority of crashes occur in the City of Delray Beach. The unit will deploy to documented roadways where speeding is a problem and vigorously conduct speed enforcement utilizing education, and through the issuance of warnings and citations.
In the past 3 years, from 2014 through 2016, the City of Delray Beach has seen a large increase in vehicular crashes that resulted in fatalities. These crashes occurred due to speeding and aggressive drivers and the rise of residents and vacationers who visit the downtown area. Delray Beach is currently ranked 10th for Speed/Aggressive driving and 16th for Serious Injuries and Fatalities in the FDOT Highway Safety Matrix. According to F.I.R.E.S (Florida's Integrated Report Exchange System) traffic fatalities increased in Florida from 2,497 in 2014 to 3,053 in 2016. The City of Delray Beach has been directly impacted by these trends having 10 traffic fatalities in 2014-2015 and 12 in 2016. It is this agency's goal to increase safety awareness and reduce injury accidents. The Department was awarded a similar grant in 2010, 2014, and 2015 and those efforts were successful.
If FDOT approves our application, any amount up to requested $100,000 can be awarded to our agency for the enforcement efforts. The activities under this grant, if awarded, will start in fiscal year 17/18.
City Attorney Review:
Approved as to form and legal sufficiency.
Finance Department Review:
Finance recommends approval.
Funding Source:
During the budget process for FY 17/18, funding in 001-2111-521-14.20 (General Fund: Reimbursable overtime ) account will be requested.
Timing of Request:
This item is time sensitive as the application deadline is February 28th.