Agenda Item No: N.11
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: October 21, 2025
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: David Gassaway, City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution 2025-205 PD California Office of Traffic Safety 2025-26 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program Grant
Approving Acceptance of the California Office of Traffic Safety 2025 -26 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program Grant and Approval of Activities to Reduce Traffic Collisions and Fatalities Due to Unsafe Driving
Funding Source: N/A
Contact: Dan Marshall, (707) 580-1055
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt resolution.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
The Fairfield Police Department has applied for and obtained tentative approval for a traffic safety grant from the State of California, Office of Traffic Safety. The grant is in the amount of $230,000 and will fund several traffic safety activities to include sobriety checkpoints, impaired driving saturation patrols, distracted driving enforcement, motorcycle enforcement , and enforcement operations for reducing collisions involving pedestrians and bicyclists. Additionally, the grant provides travel funds for in -state training and D riving Under the Influence (DUI) checkpoint supplies.
DISCUSSION
The Fairfield Police Depar tment continuously focuses staffing and financial resources on traffic safety. This is being done to improve the quality of life for our residents and visitors utilizing our local highways. The goal of the Police Department’s Traffic Unit is to reduce inju ry and fatal collisions on our roadways. The Traffic Unit plans to reduce these collisions by dedicating enforcement resources to behaviors known to result in traffic crashes.
This grant allows the Police Department to assign officers on an overtime basis and task them with specifically enforcing the traffic safety laws. These enforcement operations will focus on times and locations when these collisions are known to occur.
The Fairfield Police Department has seen a drastic increase in the number of fatal crashes in 2024.
Specifically, fatal traffic crashes that involved pedestrians. In 2023, the Fairfield Police Department responded to 5 fatal traffic crashes where 2 out of those 5 fatal crashes involved a pedestrian that sustained fatal injuries. In 2024 , the Fairfield Police Department responded to nine fatal traffic crashes where seven out of those nine fatal crashes involved a pedestrian that sustained fatal injuries.
The Fairfield Police Department continues to see unsafe speed as a primary crash factor. 2022: Of the 1,389 traffic crashes, about 15% were primarily caused by unsafe speed 2023: Of the 1,345 traffic crashes, about 17% were primarily caused by unsafe speed 2024: Of the 1,288 traffic crashes, about 18% were primarily caused by unsafe speed
Data also reveals that when the crash is caused by unsafe speed, the likelihood for injuries increases.
2023, about 22% of the total 523 injury crashes were caused by unsafe speed 2024, about 24% of the total 457 injury crashes were caused by unsafe speed
Besides unsafe speed, another common primary crash factor in the city of Fairfield is DUI. 2022: Of the 1,389 traffic crashes, about 12% were primarily caused by DUI 2023: Of the 1,345 traffic crashes, about 9% were primarily caused by DUI 2024: Of the 1,288 traffic crashes, about 11% were primarily caused by DUI
In 2023, there were 86 people injured in DUI-related traffic crashes. In 2024, we saw a slight decrease to 69 people injured in DUI crashes. However, in 2024, there were five fatal DUI-related traffic crashes compared to the two we had in 2023. The 2024 DUI-related fatal traffic crashes involved alcohol and/or drugs.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
With the acceptance of the grant, the Police Department will receive $230,000. The grant funding will cover overtime costs for Police Department personnel participating in grant-related activities. A special programs fund will be used for the grant (Fund 155, Division, Responsibility code 50199, and Project code 10624).
PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION
N/A
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
City Council may choose not to accept the grant funding.
COORDINATED WITH
Mark Talon, Program Coordinator, State of California, Officer of Traffic Safety
STAFF CONTACT
Josh Bender, Police Sergeant
(707)428-7524
[email protected]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 2: Proposed Resolution
Attachment 3: Proposed Agreement