Newport, Costa Mesa, Irvine police get traffic-safety grants

The state recently awarded Newport Beach, Irvine and Costa Mesa police hundreds of thousands of dollars to help boost traffic-safety programs.

Newport Beach police received $350,045, Costa Mesa $169,690 and Irvine $330,746, according to announcements from each department.

All three grants came from the California Office of Traffic Safety, which hands out the money to fund operations such as increased traffic patrols, DUI checkpoints, distracted-driving stings and seat-belt enforcement throughout the year.

Statewide, the number of people killed and injured in traffic collisions rose in 2011 and 2012, according to the Office of Traffic Safety. That followed declines between 2006 and 2010, the agency said.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck