Finance committee approves $768,325 federal grant to create two-officer traffic unit; vest and equipment grants also accepted

The Waukesha City Finance Committee on Oct. 8 unanimously approved a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration grant of $768,325 to create a two-officer traffic unit focused on commercial motor vehicle inspections, business outreach and targeted speed enforcement.

Lieutenant Joe Hendrix of the Waukesha Police Department told the committee the department had documented a roughly 48% increase in commercial motor vehicle crashes since 2020 and a 2023 fatality concentrated on the bypass, and said the grant would fund two full-time commercial motor vehicle safety inspectors, vehicles, and equipment. "The funding is available as of Oct. 1," Hendrix said, and the department intends to begin hiring Jan. 1 for a two-year grant term.

Hendrix said the specialists would perform inspections and education with local trucking businesses and also conduct speed and aggressive-driving enforcement in high-crash areas. He said the grant was intended to cover salaries, benefits and two dedicated fleet vehicles, and that the department plans to track enforcement activity and fine revenue as part of a sustainability plan if the grant is not renewed: "If not, then we would lose them through attrition," he told the committee.

Assistant Chief Tom Wagner also brought three recurring department grants to the committee. The committee accepted a $1,000,000 COPS 2024 technology and equipment grant (see separate story) toward the CAD/RMS replacement project, and approved acceptance of $11,950.37 through the Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership, which reimburses roughly 50% of annual vest replacement costs. Wagner said the vest grant historically reimburses about half of the department's vest replacement purchases and the department budgets to replace roughly 20 vests on a three- to five-year cycle.

Aldermen asked officers about partnerships with the state patrol, whether the two grant-funded officers were new positions (they are), and what would happen after grant expiration. Alderman McElderly suggested saturations with state patrol troopers on the bypass; Hendrix said the city already partners with the state patrol and had five of six fatal crashes last year on the bypass. The motion to accept the FMCSA grant was made by Alderman Piper and seconded by Alderman McElderly; the committee approved the item by voice vote. The motions to accept the COPS grant and the vest grant also passed unanimously.

Next steps: the grant acceptances will be recorded by the city and, if hiring proceeds, the department will begin recruitment for the specialist positions to staff the traffic unit.