Recently the Caddo Parish Sheriff Office has received a grant from the state for increased funding that will go to traffic enforcement. The grant is provided to the Sheriff’s Office by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

The grant, which totaled $87,305, will be used by the Sheriff’s Office to provide extra officers for DWI enforcement, seat belt enforcement, child safety seat checks, and speed limit enforcement.

Sheriff Steve Prator said the grant will provide about 2,180 hours of increased patrols and checkpoints to target the most deadly violations.

In 2014 there were 24 fatal car accidents in Shreveport, 9 of which involved alcohol. In 2015 there were 7,977 drunk driving arrests made in the State of Louisiana.

In addition to the grant which will provide more money for dedicated traffic officers, the CPSO is also hosting an AARP Smart Driver Class on Friday, November 3, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the NW Regional Re-Entry Facility located at 1123 Forum Drive in Shreveport.

This 4-hour refresher course is for drivers age 50 and over and may qualify participants for an automobile insurance premium discount. Class size is limited and pre-registration is required by Wednesday, November 1. The cost of the class is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members.