SAVANNAH, GA (December 4, 2020) – The Savannah Police Department is pleased to announce it has been awarded $178,828 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) to continue the Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (HEAT) grant originally awarded in 2016.
During the 2019-20 year, the HEAT Unit had nearly 4,710 enforcement contacts, 318 of which were DUI arrests. As a result, SPD saw a 20 percent decrease in overall crashes and an 11 percent decrease in fatal crashes from the previous grant year. SPD also saw a 1 percent increase in seat belt usage.
The 2021 grant award will continue through September 2021 and helps fund three traffic officer positions, regular operating expenses, telecommunications and travel within the Traffic Unit. Of the more than $170,000 in grant funds, $71,531 of those are federal funds provided with GOHS.
“After four years it is clear that our HEAT Unit has had an effect and is continuing to have an effect on reducing the number of serious injuries and fatalities in Savannah,” said Chief Roy Minter. “Through its focused approach, the HEAT Unit is directly impacting driver decisions, whether it’s speeding, aggressive driving, seat belt usage or the wise decision to arrange for a safe ride home after drinking. This team will remain vigilant and focused, hopefully further reducing our totals for the next grant year.”
The HEAT Unit participates in traffic safety campaigns, such as Click-It or Ticket, Operation Zero Tolerance, 100 Days of Summer Heat and Rolling Thunder Mobilizations throughout Georgia. The unit also participates in traffic safety education programs throughout the city.