The Gray Police Department issued a press release Nov. 12 following the award of a grant from the Governor’s Office of Safety.
The release states the GPD is pleased to announce it has received a $33,144 High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). Funding for the grant is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is awarded based upon the partnership with The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in helping to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities across the State of Georgia.
High Visibility Enforcement combines highly visible and proactive law enforcement to target a specific traffic safety issue designed to change unlawful and dangerous driving behaviors that contribute to most of the fatal and serious- injury traffic crashes on roads. Law enforcement efforts are combined with visibility elements and public notification on the enforcement campaign to educate the public on traffic safety and promote voluntary compliance with the law.
“Crash data shows enforcement and education of traffic laws are two of the most effective countermeasures to help our state and nation reduce crashes and eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our roads,” Allen Poole, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, said. “Each life saved on our roads is one less family that will have to live with the pain of losing a loved one whose life was taken from them in a traffic crash that was completely preventable.”
As law enforcement partners in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over DUI and Click It Or Ticket seatbelt campaigns, the Gray Police Department will also conduct mobilizations throughout the year in coordination with GOHS’s year-round waves of high visibility patrols, multi-jurisdictional sobriety checkpoints.”
The grant will continue through September of 2026.
The release is signed by GPD Chief Adam Lowe.
In a Nov. 12 interview with Lowe and GPD Maj. Mark Robinson concerning the grant, the chief said grant requirements included performing a survey about the number of people not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones as well as speed checks.
Robinson said that data was submitted with the grant application to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. He said the department purchased two radar units with the funds and the remainder, $26,000, will be used for officer’s salaries who are working on the issues supported by the grant.
“We hope to get more money next year,” Robinson said. “Our goal is to bring more tax dollars back to the city.”
Lowe said the purpose of the additional funds was not necessarily about writing tickets.
“It’s mainly for warnings about the safety issues of seatbelts and distracted driving because of talking on the phone,” he said.
The chief said GPD is partnering with Jones County High School for educational classes and information about the importance of wearing seatbelts.
“We plan to bring the crash simulator to the school to show the impact of not wearing a seatbelt during an accident, including a rollover,” he said.
