June 19, 2024 |
Photo – Rawlins Police Department – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Rawlins Police Department has received authorization to apply for two safety grants.
During Tuesday night’s Rawlins city council meeting, Police Chief Mike Ward was given permission to apply for a Wyoming Department of Transportation highway safety grant.
Speaking to Bigfoot99, Chief Ward said the annual grant allows WYDOT to use federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds to pay Rawlins police officers to spend more time looking out for impaired and unsafe drivers.
The City of Rawlins has used the highway safety grant for decades. Chief Ward said the overtime funding will allow Rawlins police officers to have a more visible presence on the city streets.
Rawlins Police Lieutenant Jared Frakes said the grant is focused on three areas of traffic safety: reducing impaired driving, promoting the use of seatbelts, and speed enforcement. Lieutenant Frakes said Rawlins officers are unable to cite motorists for seatbelt violations alone.
Instead, the police lieutenant said officers will direct their efforts toward speeding and impaired driving offences.
Chief Ward assured residents that Rawlins police officers won’t use this opportunity to write an excessive number of tickets. The police chief said each traffic stop is unique and officers may use their best judgement to determine what type of citation, if any, a situation requires.
WYDOT states in a letter to Chief Ward that based on the percentage of impaired driving crashes, impaired driving arrests, and occupant protection crashes, the Rawlins Police Department is eligible to receive $9,454.50 for Impaired Driving High Visibility Overtime Enforcement and $2,500 for Occupant Protection High Visibility Overtime Enforcement.
Also, at last night’s meeting, the Rawlins city council approved a grant request through the Bureau of Justice Assistance Ballistic Vest Partnership. Chief Ward explained that the grant will pay for new body armor.
Chief Ward said body armor typically needs to be replaced every five years. The police chief said the Bureau of Justice grant will allow him to exchange outdated vests and purchase body armor for new recruits.
Using the funding from both grants, Chief Ward said the Rawlins Police Department can more effectively keep residents and officers safe.
