Greenwich accepts $49,323 state grant for targeted speed enforcement on 'high‑risk rural roads'

The Town of Greenwich voted unanimously to accept a $49,323.40 state “high‑risk rural roads” grant to fund targeted speeding enforcement and a laser speed device for the police motorcycle unit, officials said at a meeting.

Deputy Police Chief Tocorella, who described the award, said the grant is intended “for conducting speeding enforcement on rural roads, high risk rural roads where we usually there's accidents and chance for motor vehicle collisions.” He said the town identified several locations with a high potential for collisions, including Riversville Road, Lake Avenue, North Street, Round Hill Road, Weaver Street and Sandwich Road.

The department plans to use most of the money for overtime to place officers at those locations at times identified by the town’s strategic enforcement program. Tocorella described the planned equipment purchase for the motorcycle unit as a laser device, noting, “It's just instead of the casting a big fill, field out and getting all the cars in it, the laser, you can just point right at a vehicle and single that one out.” The grant’s stated effective dates are Feb. 27, 2025, through May 30, 2025, and Tocorella said the department is waiting for approval before beginning enforcement under the grant.

Board member Leslie Moriarty moved to approve use of the grant; the motion was seconded by Gary Fisher. The chair called the vote 4‑0‑0 and characterized the approval as routine; the motion passed unanimously.

The board did not discuss other conditions attached to the grant at the meeting. Tocorella said the town has not received this grant in the prior three years and that state allocation decisions are based on motor‑vehicle collision data that identified speed as a contributing factor.