Sustained Traffic Enforcement Grant

 Narrative: On October 1^st, 2010, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office received approval and $42,442.00 in funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation to implement a Sustained Traffic Enforcement Grant (STEP) program. This grant will provide funds to pay overtime and associated costs for additional officers to increase the enforcement of impaired driving laws, as well as occupant restraint violations.  The grant will provide a total of 844 hours of additional intensive patrols. The 844 hours are divided up into 8 campaigns throughout 2011. Each campaign is 2 weeks in length.  The purpose of the STEP Grant is to reduce the incidence of motor vehicle crashes, and the resulting injuries and fatalities, through increased highly visible enforcement of occupant restraint, impaired driving, speed, pedestrian safety and motorcycle licensing and registration laws.  The second two week enforcement period was just completed (December 17^th, 2010 through January 2^nd, 2011), attached to this release are the results of the enforcement activity, also included is the activity of the normal patrol units during the same two week period.