Los Angeles Police Department Awarded $965,116 Grant from the California Highway Patrol NA22017mc

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has implemented a police traffic services program to deter dangerous and illegal driving behaviors that increase the risk of crashes and threatens public safety.

Commander Pasos, Commanding Officer, Traffic Group, said, “Driving under the influence of drugs (DUID), including marijuana, endangers the safety of people on the road.  This funding allows the LAPD to train officers and prosecutors, provide educational outreach to businesses and acquire equipment that will assist with the investigation and prosecution of DUID drivers.”

The grant will fund the following:

• Training of officers in the field of DUI investigation.
• Training prosecutors to assist with DUI prosecutions.
• Conducting community outreach wherein Department personnel will liaison with licensed cannabis dispensaries to disseminate DUID-related traffic safety messages.
• Staffing of drug recognition experts at LAPD jails during peak enforcement hours.
• Purchasing a three-dimensional scanner to be used to investigate DUID-related traffic crashes.

The grant program will be operational through June 30, 2022.  Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Highway Patrol through the Cannabis Tax Fund.