There is no lack of complaints about the habits of drivers on the road so city officials are seeking state grant monies to buy equipment and pay for officer overtime to spend more time in traffic enforcement.

On Monday, Feb. 10 the Ceres City Council authorized submitting a Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grant application to the Office of Traffic Safety.

The state agency has created a grant that will provide $105,000 funding for equipment and personnel overtime costs up to 80 8-hour shifts of overtime (including benefits) associated with the department organizing and staffing:

• DUI checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols;

• Distracted driving patrols;

• Night-time seatbelt enforcement patrols;

• Enforcing traffic violations which are the primary causes of collisions, during Selective Traffic Enforcement;

• Community education.

The grant is intended to cover a year’s worth of enforcement activities.

If secured, a $65,000 reimbursement grant will provide funding for a new traffic enforcement/equipment vehicle.

Also on Feb. 10, the council voted to accept a $14,614 U.S. Department of Justice grant to provide one year of funding for police canine and Critical Response Team training that was reduced or eliminated from the current budget. The training sessions are offered by the California Association of Hostage Negotiators (CAHN) and the Western States Police Canine Association (WSPCA).