Sheriff gets traffic enforcement grant | The Augusta Chronicle

If you drive in Richmond County, you’d better drive right.

A team of officers will be focusing on aggressive and drunken drivers after the sheriff’s office received a grant aimed at reducing crashes and fatalities.

The Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic units are specially trained teams of officers who focus on reducing impaired driving crashes and excessive speeding, increasing seat belt usage and educating the public on traffic safety.

The sheriff’s office has been approved for a $625,000 grant by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to fund a three-member team over the next three years.

Richmond County, like all of the program participants, was awarded the grant because of a high number of traffic fatalities and crashes.

“Anything we can do to get money through grants is our goal and we definitely want to deter fatalities,” Lt. Lewis Blanchard said.

The grant pays $250,000 in the first year, which includes the salary of two of the three officers; three new, fully equipped police cruisers; and additional technology. The sheriff’s office is required to pay the third officer’s salary.

The rest of the grant money will be used over the remaining two years.

via Sheriff gets traffic enforcement grant | The Augusta Chronicle.