The Yuba City City Council approved the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grant on Sept. 17, strengthening DUI and distracted driver enforcement. Courtesy photo

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - Law enforcement is literally stepping up traffic safety with the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grant.

Sgt. Dave Krause, with the Traffic Enforcement & Education Unit, detailed that in August, the California Office of Traffic Safety awarded Yuba City a $115,000 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant for the Fiscal Year 2024-2025. The grant will run from October 2024 to September 2025.

“The STEP grant offered by the California Office of Traffic provides funding for law enforcement officers to officers to work overtime details to conduct targeted traffic enforcement within the city to try to make our streets safer,” Krause said, adding, “No matching funds are required from the city.”

The grant caveat is the specific use of funds. Krause detailed that the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant will fund the following operation, training and equipment, including Driving Under the Influence (DUI) penalties.

Along with DUI checkpoints, stationary posts and roaming law enforcement checks comes collaborative DUI enforcement.

“That's where we bring in outside agencies to assist in patrolling Yuba City for DUIs,” Krause said, adding general traffic enforcement is part of the grant, followed by cell phone use. “Distracted driving, which is actually one of the leading causes of collision in the state of California,” Krause said.

The last element, pedestrian and bicycle safety operations, is critical by percentage. 

How much?

“As much as 80% of the major injury and fatal collisions we experience in Yuba City are vehicles versus a pedestrian,” Krause said, adding it is most often the fault of pedestrians in the roadway.

The sergeant said those incidences are “dear to his heart” as the major injury factor here. Additional Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant components include motorcycle, street racing, sideshow enforcement operations and collaborative traffic enforcement operations.

“Again, that is when we bring in agencies to assist us and that has been very effective with the street racing, sideshow and enforcement we have done in the city.

The sergeant said the city has “managed to waylay those events” and drivers know “we have a strong enforcement presence for that.”

Sgt. Dave Krause explains the importance of approving a $115,000 grant from the state to enforce traffic safety here. Courtesy photo

Lastly, Sgt. Krause said the grant covers all travel expenses for traffic-related training and DUI checkpoints, some of the “most expensive” programs requiring additional personnel and equipment, including fuel generators, lights and cones.

“It will also fund the purchase of two in-vehicle radar devices to outfit patrol vehicles to control speed enforcement,” Krause said.

After presenting grant mandates, Krause recommended approving the grant and “immediately begin deploying officers to deter unsafe behaviors that threaten our community.”

Before approving the grant, Councilmember Michael Pasquale wanted to know if law enforcement could “step up” window tinting enforcement.

“Personally, I am a motorcycle rider and not being able to see eye to eye with somebody when you are going 65 miles down the highway and they are going to come across you is terrifying,” Pasquale said.

Krause confirmed Pasquale's concern, calling eye-to-eye contact “paramount in safety.”

“Yes, we can absolutely push that enforcement out to the officers who are on these details,” Krause said.