Police department receives $90K grant

The Laguna Beach Police Department received a $90,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to combat drunk drivers in Laguna Beach.

The money will go toward the city’s efforts “to improve traffic safety and the quality of life,” according to a press release from the department. Programs it will help fund include:

•Specialized DUI and drugged driving training, such as standardized field sobriety testing, advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement and drug recognition evaluator.

•DUI saturation patrols.

•Distracted driving enforcement.

•Speed, red light and stop sign enforcement.

•Compilation of DUI “hot sheets,” identifying the worst DUI offenders.

“Despite the recent increases, California’s roadways are still very much safer than they were before 2006,” Office of Traffic Safety Director Christopher J. Murphy said in a statement. “The Laguna Beach Police Department will be keeping the pressure on through enforcement and public awareness so that we can continue saving lives and reach the vision we all share — toward zero deaths, every one counts.”

— Alisha Gomez

Twitter: @AGomezBerman