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Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded more than $5.5 million in grants to support efforts to make Alabama roads safer by preventing injuries and fatalities.

Escambia County will benefit from the grants to the tune of $1.05 million to the  Mobile County Commission for the Southwest Regional Highway Safety Office which serves Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Perry, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox counties.

Three of the state’s regional traffic safety offices and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency will use the funds to cover overtime for police officers, sheriffs’ deputies and state troopers to conduct extra patrols during peak travel times targeting speeding, seat belt violations and impaired driving.

The Office of Prosecution Services will use a grant to support a Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor who will provide training, education, legal research and technical assistance on traffic safety-related issues for law enforcement agencies across the state.

“Anyone who chooses to drive impaired or disobey traffic laws is a danger to everyone on Alabama’s roads and highways,” Gov. Ivey said. “These grants support our police officers, sheriffs’ deputies and state troopers who are working long hours to enforce the law and provide a clear message to drive safely and responsibly.”

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available to the state by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. ADECA manages a wide array of programs that support law enforcement and traffic safety, energy conservation, water resource management, economic development and recreation.

“ADECA supports Gov. Ivey in her efforts to ensure that our state and local law enforcement agencies have what they need to make Alabama’s roads safer for everyone traveling in our state,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said.

Gov. Ivey awarded the following grants in addition to the grant serving Escambia County:

• $1.58 million to the Franklin County Commission for the North Central Alabama Highway Safety Office. The office serves Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Marion, Morgan, Pickens, Walker and Winston counties.
• $1.2 million for the Southeast Alabama Regional Highway Safety Office at Enterprise State Community College. The office serves Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lowndes, Montgomery, Pike, Russell and Tuscaloosa counties.
• $1.54 million to ALEA whose state troopers cover the entire state. Funds will also be used for training officers in how to spot signs of someone experiencing a mental health crisis and/or drug or medical disorders.
• $189,869 to the Office of Prosecution Services for a Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor who will assist law enforcement agencies across Alabama.

Additional highway safety funds are expected to be awarded in the near future involving the remaining Alabama counties.