By Moses Leos III
For a second straight year, the Kyle Police Department is seeking funds from a grant program meant to help departments reduce traffic-related incidents.
On Jan. 6, the Kyle City Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing KPD to apply for a grant from the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP). The application would extend to fiscal year 2015-2016.
According to Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett, the use of funds from the STEP program will go a long way toward keeping Kyle roads safe.
“There is no doubt it will help,” Barnett said. “Our goal is to reduce accidents and increase roadway safety. The increased presence [of officers] will have an impact,”
STEP is a part of TxDOT’s Traffic Safety Program. Funding for the program derives from the National Highway Safety Act of 1966 and the Texas Traffic Safety Act of 1967.
The goal of the STEP grant program, overseen by the Texas Department of Transportation, is to reduce speeding, DWI, seatbelt and traffic control issues.
Two types of grants exist, with Kyle applying for the year-long program. Within the year-long program, Kyle Police can offer “sporadic enforcement efforts focused around the holidays.”
Approximately $45.9 million in federal funding is estimated for the safety program in FY 2016. An estimated $31 million is to be allocated for STEP program areas.
Funding allocated from STEP grants goes toward helping departments pay for “overtime activities” to help with enforcement. While the grant helps pay for additional officer support, Barnett said it doesn’t automatically mean overtime for Kyle Police officers.
Along with funding from TxDOT, local jurisdictions provide matching funds not to exceed 20 percent from the department’s total budget.
While KPD’s application is authorized for up to $50,000 for FY 2016, Barnett didn’t think the department would pursue the full amount. He said the department would stay “consistent” with this year’s allocation.
In FY 2015, Kyle’s first year in the STEP program, the department received $24,500, $19,600 from TxDOT. Kyle began its STEP program in the last week of November. With the STEP program, KPD added four more officers working on New Year’s Eve 2014.
Barnett said the department focused its efforts on speed and DWI issues. He said the two were the “most prevalent offenses and the two we want to address.”
The issue of intoxicated drivers, primarily DWIs, is a problem the department has historically tackled. Most of the problems hail from the highway, usually DWIs that occur in the early morning hours.
But with the STEP program, officers are dedicated, but not limited to, enforcing traffic issues. It’s given the department the ability to keep regular patrol officers on the streets.
In particular are processing DWI cases, which can take up to three hours to complete.
“If we didn’t have STEP officers working those DWI offenses, our regular patrol officers would be taken away from neighborhoods and business districts.”
Barnett said focusing on seatbelt and traffic control issues could be looked at in the future, as vehicle population arises.
With the implementation of the program, focusing on manageable issues was the start.
“Increased [police] vehicles on the roadway could deter speeding and traffic violations,” Barnett said. “We want people to know there are extra officers out there watching.”
