The City of Gadsden has been named the recipient of a grant that will help the Gadsden Police Department improve safety on city roadways.
The City is receiving traffic safety funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
The grant will allow officers to conduct concentrated traffic enforcement in hot spots where traffic violations and accidents are most common.
“Street safety is something that affects everyone, whether you’re on the highway or just driving around your neighborhood,” said Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford. “We’ve launched several programs tackling different aspects of street safety, and we’re grateful to be able to partner with the NHTSA and ADECA on this initiative.”
The funding is an ongoing grant for FY2026, and additional funding will be added quarterly to the initial $3,000 grant to meet current needs.
“The Gadsden Police Department is committed to making our roadways safe for the traveling public,” said Investigator Sam Lowe of the Special Operations Traffic Unit of the GPD. “Distracted driving has become a major contributor to traffic accidents, and our enforcement of the hands-free law will be emphasized.
The ultimate goal is to reduce traffic accident-related injuries and fatalities with a focus on speeding, DUI, distracted driving (such as holding electronic devices while driving) and seatbelt usage.
“We ask that motorists please put the phone down and drive like your life depends on it — because it does,” Lowe said.
