SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve acceptance of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Speeding and Aggressive Driving 2026 Grant Award in the amount of $75,000.00 for police overtime and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
The Clearwater Police Department (CPD) applied to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for a grant-funded Speeding and Aggressive Driving project. The grant has been awarded in the amount of $75,000.00. The grant agreement requires indemnification of FDOT by the City; therefore, CPD seeks approval to accept the award.
Over the past three years, the City of Clearwater has experienced a significant number of traffic crashes, largely attributed to its fluctuating population. The Clearwater Police Department’s Traffic Homicide Team identified the following contributing factors: eight fatalities linked to impairment and speed combined with aggressive driving, four involving pedestrians, and four involving scooters or motorcycles.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there was a 3.2% decrease in traffic fatalities nationwide in early 2024, with an estimated 8,650 fatalities. Despite this improvement, Florida ranks third in the nation for fatal crashes. Pinellas County currently ranks eighth out of 26 counties for incidents involving speeding or aggressive driving, based on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Highway Safety Matrix. These rankings underscore the continued need for proactive traffic safety measures.
Recognizing the need to enhance traffic safety efforts, the Clearwater Police Department has faced challenges in dedicating regular-duty personnel solely to traffic enforcement. This grant will allow CPD to implement additional targeted enforcement and educational initiatives focusing on speeding and aggressive driving.
Personnel selected for this project will be officers who have demonstrated a strong interest and aptitude for traffic enforcement. High-Visibility Enforcement operations will be conducted along roadways where speeding and/or aggressive driving crashes are known to occur, as well as in areas identified as high-risk or where citizen complaints are prevalent.
The project period will commence upon execution of the contract and conclude on or before September 30, 2026.
During the grant period, CPD will:
• Conduct at least two high-visibility overtime enforcement operations per month targeting speeding and/or aggressive driving.
• Conduct a minimum of one educational or community outreach event per quarter to increase public awareness of the dangers associated with speeding and aggressive driving.
• Disseminate educational materials through multimedia outlets (e.g., message boards, local media, social media, press releases, and printed materials) at least once per month.
There will be no adverse impact on the Police Department’s annual operating budget, nor is a local match required.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
A first quarter budget amendment will establish special project, 1817521-G2606 - FDOT Speeding and Aggressive Driving Grant 2026, to account for all related grant expenditures.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
This project aligns with the City’s strategic goal of maintaining a High-Performing Government, specifically Strategic Objective 1.4 - to foster safe and healthy communities in Clearwater through first-class public safety and emergency response services.
