Traffic Enforcement and Special Operations Details

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states, tribes, and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice for any one or more of the following purpose areas: 1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).

The county of Howard will utilize its Fiscal Year 2008 JAG award in the amount of $21,129 for overtime patrols. Howard County, Maryland is located in close proximity to Washington, DC and Baltimore. Due to its location and many accessible travel routes, the population has expanded rapidly. With this expansion came increased criminal activity, traffic issues, and increased calls for police services. The Howard County Police Department will use the entire JAG award towards overtime in the areas of targeted traffic enforcement and directed saturation patrols. Targeted traffic enforcement will focus on speeding in both residential and school zones, pedestrian safety, aggressive driving, and impaired driving. These details will supplement existing enforcement and be used to ease shortages during shift changes or during areas of high incidence. Howard County has seen an increase in traffic-related fatalities due to excessive speeding and failure to yield or obey traffic signals over the past two years. Assigned officers will also operate checkpoints to enforce seat belt laws and monitor for impaired drivers. The directed saturation patrols will focus on times and places highlighted as high-risk of crime, mainly focusing on break-ins and motor vehicle theft. The plan is to provide police presence to reduce or displace activity in these specified areas. These patrols will also help to shed light on the increase of gang activity in the county. Overtime will allow the department to deploy officers from their customary calls for service to focus on gang-related activity through surveillance, investigations, and undercover work. By assessing and identifying problems in the community, the Howard County Police Department can combat and potentially eradicate criminal activity and traffic related deaths before they become long-term issues that require more costly and extensive resources to correct.

NCA/NCF