The San Rafael Police Department has received a $108,500 grant administered by the state to fund sobriety checkpoints, distracted-driving operations and speed enforcement on city streets through September 2027.

The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) awarded the money, with funding provided through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the department said in an announcement dated Oct. 5. The grant will also pay for officer training in field sobriety testing and drug recognition, community presentations on traffic safety, and joint enforcement operations with neighboring agencies.

The department said enforcement will target speeding, red-light and stop-sign running, failure to yield, improper turns or lane changes, and cellphone use behind the wheel. Operations will also focus on protecting cyclists and pedestrians.

Sgt. Joseph Jordan said the department’s goal is to reduce dangerous driving, prevent crashes and make roads safer through education and enforcement.

The new grant will fund operations similar to those the department has already conducted this year under the OTS program. On Sept. 26, the department ran a DUI checkpoint on Lincoln Avenue at Grand Avenue from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Of 570 vehicles that passed through, officers stopped 31 vehicles. Police reported citing 13 drivers for driving without a license and one for driving with a suspended license, and four people performed field sobriety tests.

A Jan. 9 bicycle and pedestrian safety operation at Mission and Nye streets, Fifth Avenue and Lootens Place, and Fourth and Shaver streets produced 34 citations. Violations included failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, unsafe speed near crosswalks and using a handheld cellphone while driving.

OTS Director Stephanie Dougherty said in the department’s announcement that the program aims to build what she called “a strong road safety culture” through enforcement paired with education.

The announcement does not list dates for upcoming checkpoints or enforcement operations. Residents can contact the San Rafael Police Department’s non-emergency line at (415) 485-3000 for information.