Police to use grant toward new traffic-safety officer

The Newport Beach Police Department received a $532,000 grant to boost traffic-safety efforts.

The money will be used to hire a new officer who will focus on enforcement of driving laws. The money will also go toward purchasing a new police vehicle.

“This program is about preventing collisions and minimizing injuries and fatalities,” Newport Beach Police Chief John Klein stated in a press release.

The department will also use the money to create a list of “the worst of the worst” DUI offenders.

Newport Beach ranked highest in the state in alcohol-related collisions for its population size, according to police.

Police made 597 DUI arrests in 2006 and attribute them to the large number of bars and alcohol-serving restaurants in the area.

The California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the grant.

— Daniel Tedford