The Derry Town Council has approved the acceptance of two grants applied for by the Police Department.
At its April 19 meeting, the Council voted unanimously to accept $14,561.04 from the Sustained Traffic Enforcement Patrol (STEP) program and $6,160.44 from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Grant program, for a total of $20,721.48.
Police Chief Ed Garone spoke to the request, saying that these were grants the Council has seen “for many years.”
The grants allow officers to work overtime shifts concentrating on one particular issue. While they are on call for emergency situations, they do not do routine patrols from this funding, and can concentrate on the purpose for the patrol.
The STEP grant will be used to protect pedestrians and will require the dedication of two people, a “spotter” and a “chaser,” Garone said. The spotters will be stationed near an intersection and, when they note a driver who fails to yield to a pedestrian, they can radio the chaser, who will pull the offending driver over.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian grant is also focused on protecting pedestrians, he said.
The STEP grant covers 208 hours of patrols and the Bicycle and Pedestrian grant covers 88 hours, and the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency will reimburse the town 100 percent for salary, overtime and roll-up costs, he said.
The Council voted unanimously to have Acting Town Administrator Stephen Daly sign the contracts.
