Chattanooga, Hamilton County receive $350,000 in highway safety grants

Thursday, October 20, 2011

NASHVILLE - Chattanooga and Hamilton County law enforcement agencies are getting nearly $350,000 in federal highway safety grants funneled through the state.

The grants are among $16.2 million in funds designated for law enforcement to save lives, reduce injuries and combat drunk driving, Gov. Bill Haslam and state Transportation Commissioner John Schroer announced in a news release.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides the funding for the grants. Award were made by the Governor's Highway Safety Office to agencies which scored agencies' applications based on a defined problem and statistical need.

"These grants will support the efforts of highway safety agencies and advocates to reduce the number of people killed and injured in traffic crashes in Tennessee each year," Haslam said in the release

Grants include:

* $138,484.29 for DUI prosecution in Hamilton County.

* The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is getting $75,000 for its Safety Journey program.

* The sheriff's office is also getting nearly $50,000 for its Remove Intoxicated and Impaired program.

* The Chattanooga Police Department is getting $49,320 for its Aggressive Driving Enforcement Program.

* The Collegedale Police Department is getting $15,000 for a network coordinator and $5,000 for its High Visibility Law Enforcement Campaigns and another $5,000 for a drug recognition expert instructor.

* The East Ridge Police Department will receiving $5,000 for its High Visibility Law Enforcement Campaigns.

* Lookout Mountain Police Department's High Visibility Law Enforcement Campaigns will get $5,000.

* The Red Bank Police Department is getting a $14,994 DUI grant.

* The Soddy-Daisy Police Department will get $24,965.76 for alcohol saturation/roadside sobriety checkpoints.