MANSFIELD — The Richland County Sheriff’s Office plans to use a new $73,969.20 grant to help keep local motorists safer — even from themselves.
“These funds are critical in ensuring that we are doing everything we possibly can to keep our local community safe,” said Sheriff Steve Sheldon.
“Based on crash data, speeding, impaired driving, seatbelt usage, and other traffic related laws is a priority for Richland County and we are committed to working with our partners at the state level to address this safety issue,” the sheriff said.
The federal funding comes to the RCSO from the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Ohio Traffic Safety Office for federal fiscal year 2024-2025.
Capt. Jim Sweat, the department’s support bureau commander, said grant money will be used for “location-based traffic enforcement.”
“The funds allow our office to dedicate deputies directly to these efforts, during the prescribed times, by reimbursing the personnel costs associated with the focused enforcement of the targeted areas,” Sweat said.
The funds are passed through OTSO from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The grants are designed to support the efforts of safety partners statewide and focus on traffic safety priority areas such as restraint use, impaired driving, motorcycle safety and youthful drivers.
Competitive grant proposals are accepted and reviewed by OTSO, with funds awarded to projects that will have the greatest impact on reducing fatal crashes or significantly improving traffic safety systems, according to Sheldon.