Dedham Police Receive $15K for Motorist, Pedestrian Safety Efforts

The Dedham Police Department announced Wednesday that it will soon be a little safer to travel around town via car, bicycle or by foot, thanks to a state grant of more than $15,000 awarded to the department for enforcement efforts.

The grant was awarded from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division in the amount of $12,500 for five traffic-related programs and $3,000 for a pedestrian and bicycle program, according to Wednesday’s announcement.

During the campaign, officers aim to intensify enforcement of speed limits, mostly on Rte. 1/Providence Highway due to the high volume of traffic and pedestrian accidents.

The bicycle and safety program, meanwhile, will aim to pay for targeted enforcement and crosswalk decoy patrols in an effort to analyze and crack-down on individuals who don’t share the road.

“Speeding translates to tragedy on our roadways,” Dedham Police Chief Michael J. d’Entremont said in a statement. “It greatly reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely, putting themselves, their passengers and other drivers at tremendous risk. Speeding is just one of the things we hope to tackle with these grants, generously awarded to us from the state.”

The programs that will be funded are as follows

• Speed & Aggressive Driving
• Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over
• Distracted Driving
• Click It Or Ticket

“Traffic crashes of all kinds, between multiple motor vehicles, or one vehicle and a pedestrian or a bicyclist, are preventable,” d’Entremont said. “Using the funding provided, the Dedham Police Department is as committed as we have ever been to saving lives and reducing the number of accidents. Any death or injury on our roadways is one too many.”

For more information, visit www.mass.gov/highwaysafety.