Law Enforcement Grants awarded to Brownsville Police and Haywood County Sheriff’s departments

High visibility grants to support seatbelt and sober driving campaigns

The Governor’s Highway Safety Office (GHSO) announced Monday, August 28, 2006, that the state will fund High Visibility Law Enforcement Grants to 317 agencies across Tennessee. These campaigns will focus on seat belt safety and alcohol countermeasure programs. The Brownsville Police Department and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Department are among those receiving the grants.

“I’m happy the state is able to support our local communities and law enforcement agencies through this special grant program,” said House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh.

A statewide request for applications was issued to all law enforcement agencies throughout Tennessee to conduct High Visibility Law Enforcement Campaigns during the period of October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007. Each agency will receive a grant up to $5,000 for a total of $1.5 million in funding. These campaigns will be federally funded through the Tennessee GHSO.

“This program will make a difference, I believe,” said Lieutenant Governor John Wilder.

Law enforcement agencies must make a concerted effort to conduct and participate in sobriety checkpoints, partner with law enforcement liaison networks, and be involved in other activities that promote highway safety according to GHSO Director Kendell Poole. Poole explained that each agency will submit data including number of hours officers participate, number of citations and arrests for DUI, seatbelts, speed and misdemeanor and felony charges. The data collected will be transferred to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Someone dies in an alcohol related crash every 28 hours,” said Governor Bredesen, while approving the grants earlier this month. “I am proud that we are able to fund these enforcement campaigns to save lives on Tennessee roadways.”