SUFFIELD — The Board of Finance gave its approval Tuesday night for the police department to seek grants that will help with enforcement of drunken driving, traffic violations, and vehicle thefts.
The grants were also approved by the Board of Selectmen this month. During a presentation to that board Police Chief James Canon explained how the money from each grant would be spent.
The American Rescue Plan Act Auto Theft and Violence grant would provide up to $35,000 to add patrol shifts, specifically for the prevention and investigation of vehicle thefts, he said.
The money would cover approximately 50 shifts over the course of a year. Following each shift, reports will be created that will be collected by state police, he said.
Canon said the program is of the “hub and spoke” type, where the state’s larger cities, the hubs, receive larger grants than smaller towns like Suffield. It isn’t clear yet if the grant would be paid out in a lump sum, or reimbursed afterward, he added.
He said vehicle thefts in town peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing from a typical half-dozen a year to over 20. The number has since decreased, but in the past month three or four vehicles were stolen in town, Canon said.
The second grant, for enforcement of drunken driving, would provide up to $25,000. Canon said the department typically makes 20 to 25 DUI arrests each year. There are likely more instances of drunken driving, but other responsibilities don’t allow for enforcement as often as he’d like, the chief said.
Canon said staffing levels at the department mean most of the DUI enforcement would be in the form of roving patrols. Checkpoints would have to be done in coordination with another police department.
Lastly, the board gave its approval for Canon to pursue a Click-It-or-Ticket grant, which will pay for 28 four-hour shifts during the two, two-week periods of the campaign in May and November.
