CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and Danville Police Departments will be better able to enforce traffic safety thanks to a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program grant was given to help officers save lives and prevent injuries by reducing traffic crashes.

Sheriff Jack Campbell of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and Deputy Chief Terry McCord of Danville PD both expressed appreciation for receiving the grant. Both departments share in the mission of making travel safer through direct, proactive patrols. They said they intend to stop, cite and arrest those who choose to violate traffic laws.

Throughout the STEP grant year, which will last until Sept. 30, 2024, Central Illinois officers will conduct additional traffic safety enforcement efforts. They will focus on the leading causes behind car crashes, such as speeding, impaired driving, cell phone use, failure to yield, disobeying traffic control signals and occupant restraint violations.

The STEP grant is made possible by the Illinois Department of Transportation’s federal highway safety funds.