Savannah Police receives $193K grant for DUI enforcement

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Savannah Police Department has been awarded a $193,771.60 grant to combat impaired driving and aggressive traffic behaviors as part of a statewide highway safety initiative.

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety announced Thursday that the Savannah Police Department is one of 26 law enforcement agencies across Georgia to receive Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic grants for Federal Fiscal Year 2026, which runs from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026.

The department’s H.E.A.T. Unit will use the funding to develop and implement strategies aimed at reducing local traffic crashes caused by aggressive and dangerous driving behaviors.

The program specifically targets impaired driving and speeding while promoting seat belt use and public education about traffic safety.

SPD targeting high-crash areas

“Crash data shows enforcement and education of traffic laws are two of most effective countermeasures to help our state and nation reduce crashes and eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our roads,” said Allen Poole, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “Each life saved on our roads is one less family that will have to live with the pain of losing a loved one whose life was taken from them in a traffic crash that was completely preventable.”

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H.E.A.T. grants fund specialized traffic enforcement units in counties throughout Georgia.

The program assists jurisdictions with the highest rates of traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities, with grants awarded based on impaired driving and speeding data.

As part of the grant requirements, the Savannah Police Department will participate in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” DUI campaign and the “Click It or Ticket” seatbelt campaigns.

The department will conduct mobilizations throughout the year in coordination with the state’s high visibility patrols, multi-jurisdictional road checks and sobriety checkpoints.

More information about the H.E.A.T. program and other highway safety campaigns is available at www.gahighwaysafety.org or by calling 404-656-6996