Los Gatos Traffic Cops to Focus on School Zone Safety

The California Office of Traffic Safety has awarded the a new $103,000-plus grant to begin implementing a year-long program aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on local roadways, officials announced last week.

The money will be used by the department to purchase new equipment and start special traffic enforcement measures as part of the department's effort to keep roadways safe through enforcement and education, police officials said in a press release.

The grant will pay for educational programs to be conducted at schools in Los Gatos and diversion programs for bicycle helmet violators.

Patrol officers will work collaboratively with schools and the public on current traffic safety programs targeting school zones such as those provided by the Safe Routes to School and Operation Safe Passage organizations.

The department also announced it will be conducting specialized enforcement efforts throughtout the next 12 months. Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas around schools where traffic crashes have been a problem in the past. Officers will be cracking down on traffic violations in these areas to keep children safe as they make their way to and from school, police officials said.

"We are thrilled with this support from the state. Improving the programs Los Gatos already has in place to ensure safe biking to schools is key to expanding the benefits of our bike culture," said Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Capt. David Gravel.