Carrollton police get $54,000 to put more traffic cops on the road

CARROLLTON — Carrollton police will step up traffic enforcement across the city after receiving a $54,287 grant to fund more patrols targeting speeding, distracted driving, and drunk driving.

What’s happening: The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety awarded the Carrollton Police Department a High Visibility Enforcement grant, which runs through September 2027. The money will fund the department’s Traffic Unit and pay for more officers on the road during times and in places where crashes are most likely to happen.

What this means for drivers: Police will be more visible on Carrollton roads, and that is by design. The strategy works by making drivers feel like they are more likely to get caught if they break traffic laws, which is meant to discourage risky behavior before a crash happens. Officers will use local crash data to decide where and when to patrol.

What officers will be doing: The department will run checkpoints to catch drunk drivers and take part in two statewide campaigns: “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” which targets impaired driving, and “Click It Or Ticket,” which focuses on seatbelt use. These campaigns run in waves throughout the year.

What officials say: “Traffic laws are to protect everyone traveling on the road and that obeying them helps to make sure you and everyone else makes it home safely every day,” said Allen Poole, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

By the numbers: The grant totals $54,287.80, paid for by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the state highway safety office. It covers enforcement costs through September 2027.