SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve acceptance of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Speeding and Aggressive Driving 2027 Grant Award in the amount of $50,000.00 for police overtime and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same.
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 $50,000.00. The grant agreement requires indemnification of FDOT by the City; therefore, CPD seeks approval to accept the award.
Over the past three years, Clearwater has experienced a notable number of traffic crashes, influenced in part by the city’s fluctuating population. From 2023 through 2025, the Clearwater Police Department’s Traffic Homicide Team investigated 74 crashes, 38 of which involved a fatality. Many of these incidents were linked to impairment, excessive speed, and aggressive driving behaviors, underscoring the ongoing need for targeted traffic enforcement and safety initiatives.
Nationally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported an 8.2% decline in traffic fatalities. During the first half of 2025, an estimated 17,140 fatalities occurred in motor vehicle crashes, down from 18,680 during the same period in 2024. According to Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) rankings for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, the City of Clearwater has ranked 21st out of 38 cities for group 1 with a population of 75,000 and above. However, the City of Clearwater is located within Pinellas County, which is currently listed as 8 out of 26 Counties for incidents involving speeding or aggressive driving based on FY 2027 Highway Safety Matrix-ranking of Florida counties emphasizing the urgency for action
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, 2027.
During the grant period, CPD will:
• Strive to decrease speed and/or aggressive driving crashes and fatalities citywide by 5% when compared to the 10/01 to 06/30 time period from the previous year.
• Conduct a minimum of 2 speed and/or aggressive driving high visibility overtime enforcement operations per month.
• Participate in the Southern Slow Down campaign through speed and/or aggressive driving overtime enforcement operations and educational/community activities.
• Conduct a minimum of 1 educational/community outreach events to increase speed and/or aggressive driving awareness per quarter and provide details.
• Provide speed and/or aggressive driving information and education to the public through the use of multimedia outlets (i.e., message boards, local media outlets, social media, press releases, and/or printed materials) at least 1 time 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-G2706 - FDOT Speeding and Aggressive Driving Grant 2027, 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.