Grants inlcude $36,000 for Child Passenger Safety Seat Program, $128,000 for Comprehensive Traffic Safety Program, and $30,000 for the Pedestrian Decoy Enforcement Program.
Burlington County Chief Michael Ditzel announced that the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department is applying for three traffic safety grants totaling $194,000 from the Division of Highway Traffic Safety. These grants will fund the Sheriff’s Child Passenger Safety Seat Program, the Comprehensive Traffic Safety Program and Pedestrian Decoy Enforcement Program.
“Since its start 21 years ago, the Burlington County Child Passenger Safety Program has inspected over 16,500 child safety seats. Last year only 9.3% of families who came to a checkpoint had their child’s safety seat properly installed. This is an increase of 8% from 2017–2018,” said Chief Michael Ditzel. “These figures include parents who have come to us previously to have their seats inspected as well as first time participants. This shows the critical need to continue this program.”
Currently, safety seat checkpoints are held every Wednesday at the county complex from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
There will also be on the road checkpoints held on the following dates:
- Saturday, April 27, 2019
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
YMCA Mt. Laurel — 59 Centerton Road, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
- Saturday, May 4, 2019
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Westampton Fire Station — 780 Woodlane Road, Westampton, NJ 08060
- Saturday, May 11, 2019
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Rita’s Water Ice — 21 Juliustown Road, Browns Mills, NJ 08015
- Monday, June 3, 2019
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Temple Har Zion — 255 High Street, Mt. Holly NJ 08060
- Saturday, June 8, 2019
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Evesham Fire Station — 26 East Main Street, Marlton, NJ 08053
- Saturday, July 13, 2019
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mt. Laurel Fire Station 362–3824 Church Road, Mt. Laurel NJ 08054
- Saturday, Sept. 3, 2019
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mt. Laurel Fire Station 361–105 Masonville Road, Mt. Laurel NJ 08054
- Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Medford Lakes Fire Station — 10 Stokes Road, Medford Lakes, NJ 08055
No appointment is needed for any of the safety seat checkpoints. If you have any questions, please call (609) 265–3788.
“The Sheriff’s Department is committed to educating parents and caregivers on the steps they need to take to keep their children safe while traveling on our roadways,” Chief Ditzel continued. “We hope that parents will take advantage of one of these many on the road checkpoints this year.”
Last year, the Sheriff’s Department partnered with Project Teach to educate teen parents on the proper way to install their child’s safety seat.
For the Comprehensive Traffic Safety Program, the Sheriff’s Department works with the Burlington County Traffic Safety Committee to implement various public education and other traffic safety programs throughout the county. The committee is comprised of representatives from local government, law enforcement, state agencies and non-profit groups.
“In May of 2013 we were awarded funding for Operation Safe Passage Route 130. The Sheriff’s Department works alongside police departments along Route 130 to conduct proactive traffic enforcement on this strip of highway,” explained Chief Ditzel. “During this grant period, we will continue to patrol Route 130 and hope to expand our proactive multi-jurisdictional traffic operations to other areas of the county.”
The Sheriff’s department is requesting $100,000 for the 2019–2020 funding cycle to continue this enforcement work. $25,000 will be used to conduct proactive and education details in the Burlington City School Zone during the hours of 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. $75,000 will be used to conduct proactive details on the 22.5 miles of Route 130.
“The remaining grant money will allow us to continue to offer many of the very successful programs including defensive driving classes, crossing guard training, bicycle safety and pedestrian safety education,” concluded Chief Ditzel.
In 2013, the Sheriff’s Department began the Pedestrian Decoy Enforcement Program which uses plain clothes police officers in crosswalks to ensure that motorists are complying with pedestrian crossing laws.
The $30,000 requested for this program will enable the Sherriff’s Department to conduct enforcement operations and education details at various locations throughout the county in conjunction with municipal police departments.
For more information on these programs, visit the Sheriff’s Department’s section of the County webpage at http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/130/Sheriffs-Department
