First published in the Oct. 9 print issue of the Burbank Leader.
The Burbank Police Department will receive a $100,000 grant for overtime costs associated with enforcing traffic laws.
The reimbursement grant, from the California Office of Traffic Safety’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, will allow an increase in patrols and checkpoints for DUIs, according to a staff report submitted to the Burbank City Council. Some of the funds will also go toward purchasing four radar devices that will allow officers to track vehicle speed.
In a news release, the department said the grant will additionally pay for “enforcement operations” on suspected distracted drivers, speeding, red-light running and improper lane changes.
The BPD has received the STEP grant in previous years, but street safety has gained new focus as a local issue after three people in a car died in an August crash that authorities said was caused by two other vehicles that were street racing.
In its application to the state Office of Traffic Safety, the BPD said that speeding was a primary factor in nearly 2,400 crashes in 2017 and 2018, with more than 1,000 injured as a result of those collisions. The department added that it has also seen “a significant increase” in the number of reckless driving reports and sightings.
