The Folsom City Council has authorized the Police Department to accept an $83,029.81 Cannabis Tax Grant from the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The grant, aimed at reducing impaired driving incidents, will fund enhanced enforcement and education efforts throughout the city.
During Tuesday’s council meeting, Resolution No. 11241 was approved, allowing the Folsom Police Department to use the grant funds for various programs and initiatives. According to the city staff report, these include conducting DUI saturation patrols and checkpoints, providing DUI field sobriety training for officers, and launching community education campaigns such as “Know Your Limits.” The department will also offer presentations to high school driver’s education classes and acquire new roadside drug impairment testing equipment.
The Cannabis Tax Grant program, managed by the CHP, seeks to reduce drunk and impaired driving crashes by funding local law enforcement efforts to identify collision factors, conduct education, and enforce traffic laws. By accepting the grant, the Folsom Police Department agrees to participate in and report on these initiatives, including the data from their DUI checkpoints, patrols, and educational campaigns.
The grant funds will also be used to cover officer overtime costs associated with selective enforcement efforts. Since 2023, Folsom’s Police Department has applied for and received similar grants, which have helped increase officer presence on the roads and expand educational outreach in schools.
With the funds now appropriated for the FY 2024-25 General Fund Operating Budget, Folsom officials are committed to continuing their efforts to make the city’s roads safer by reducing the number of DUI-related fatalities and injuries.