By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

Approval has been given for the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office to apply for a grant that will help enforce safe driving during many extended holiday periods. The Livingston County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the application of such grants for the state’s 2021 fiscal year.

In a memo to commissioners from Lt. Eric Sanborn, Sanborn states that the Office of Highway Safety Planning has offered the Sheriff’s Office up to $29,900 in state reimbursement funds for participation in the program. Participation in this grant opportunity allows the Sheriff’s Office to focus specifically on impaired driving, distracted driving, and seat belt enforcement. It will allow extra patrols to focus on reducing DUI and unrestrained vehicle occupant deaths and serious injuries. This grant-funded overtime must focus on traffic stops for hazardous moving violations during times and on roadways that experience fatal and serious injury traffic crash problems. There is an expectation for zero tolerance for seat belt, child restraint, DUI violations, and other dangerous moving violations during the grant-funded high visibility enforcement efforts.

There are 5 required enforcement periods coming that include the weeks around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day. Three additional optional enforcement periods also exist. Those are for October 30 to November 1st for Halloween; February 7th, which is Super Bowl Sunday, and March 15 through the 21st, around St. Patrick’s Day.