For the past few years, High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) grants have assisted area law enforcement agencies in their efforts to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe on the streets. The grant funds come from the Florida Department of Transportation and are managed by the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. The funds provide overtime reimbursements to law enforcement agencies to conduct pedestrian and bicycle safety education and enforcement efforts.

High Visibility Enforcement is a three phase approach to pedestrian safety. First, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists are educated about traffic laws with safety information cards, and they may also receive safety items, such as bicycle lights or vests, particularly if officers see them at night. In the second phase officers begin to issue warnings. In the last phase, police officers issue citations in a final effort to enforce safe behavior. Each police department focuses its resources on intersections and corridors that present the greatest opportunity to reduce injuries and fatalities.

So far, FDOT has distributed a total of $300,000 throughout the Tampa Bay region. The list of area agencies receiving HVE funding this cycle are:

• Clearwater Police Department
• Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
• Largo Police Department
• Pinellas Park Police Department
• St. Petersburg Police Department
• Tampa Police Department
• Temple Terrace Police Department
• University of South Florida Police Department