Agenda - Council - 12/08/2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minnesota Department of Public Safety 2021 DWI Officer Request for Proposal The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS), Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is seeking proposals from law enforcement agencies for a full time DWI officer. The DWI officer will work the peak nights and times when drinking and driving occurs. This grant is federally financed by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with impaired driving funds. Federal guidelines require this money be spent on projects designed to reduce DWI incidents. Because of this requirement, the DWI officer can only be funded for the enforcement of laws prohibiting driving while impaired. The OTS has a mandate to promote the safety of those who use public roadways. The NHTSA provides federal funding to the OTS to design and implement public education and traffic law enforcement programs to fulfill this mandate. The OTS and NHTSA seek to support traffic safety interventions that have been proven to reduce deaths and severe injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes. The OTS is committed to funding projects that have identified traffic safety problems with proposed enforcement strategies likely to alleviate those problems. Progress continues to be made in reducing the incidents of impaired driving, which unfortunately still remains an issue. In 2018, it was conservatively estimated by the National Safety Council that the cost of alcohol -related crashes in Minnesota was $284 million. In the same year, 23 percent of serious injuries sustained in crashes and 32 percent of traffic crash fatalities were alcohol -related. To address this ongoing issue, the Office of Traffic Safety will continue to offer a program supporting full time officers dedicated to DWI enforcement. Data from 2014-2018 was reviewed. To get the highest impact, only agencies from the top fifteen counties with the most impaired -related deaths and serious injuries are eligible for grant funds. Refer to the box below, which lists the top fifteen counties. In addition, applicant agencies must have a sworn complement of at least 20 officers. The OTS is committed to funding programs that have identified traffic safety issues with proposed enforcement strategies likely to alleviate those problems. All enforcement grants are part of the traffic safety program called Toward Zero Deaths (TZD), which works to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota by supporting a goal of zero road fatalities. Therefore, it is a requirement of this grant that applying agencies have a 2020 enforcement grant. 2021 DWI Officer Grant Highlights Eligible Agencies Law enforcement agencies with a complement of 20 sworn officers or more in the following counties: Anoka Becker Cass Dakota Hennepin Olmsted Otter Tail Ramsey Rice Scott Sherburne St. Louis Stearns Washington Wright No one agency will receive funding for more than one DWI officer. The applying agency must currently have a 2020 TZD Enforcement grant. Award The total length of a DWI Officer grant is expected to be one year. Agencies will develop a work plan and budget which are subject to approval by the OTS. The award will cover one full-time sworn officer and fringe benefits. The grant funding covers personnel only, equipment will not be included with the 2021 DWI Officer Grant. Page 1 of 12