The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) recently awarded the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and the state’s traffic safety regions more than $7.6 million to fund major highway safety campaigns.
Funding also will be used to increase traffic patrols in areas with high crash rates and other traffic violations and pay law enforcement officers overtime to conduct extra patrols during peak travel times targeting speeding, seat belt violations and impaired driving.
“During the past several years, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has recorded a steady decrease in overall traffic fatalities across the state. This downward trend and the lives saved on our roadways are a direct reflection of Gov. (Kay) Ivey’s leadership and effort to prioritize public safety throughout her administration,” ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said.
Funds will be dispersed to law enforcement agencies based on the size of the force and crash and traffic data. The ALEA was awarded $1.6 million for state troopers, the Franklin County Commission for the North Central and East Central Regional Highway Safety offices received $3.15 million, the Southeast Alabama Regional Highway Safety Office at Enterprise State Community College received $1.5 million, and the Mobile County Commission for the Southwest Regional Highway Safety Office received $1.36 million.