SACATON, AZ — The Gila River Police Department has secured more than $90,000 in traffic safety grants from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for fiscal year 2026. The funds will bolster traffic safety efforts throughout the Gila River Indian Community.
The department announced on October 27, 2025, that it received two separate grants totaling the amount, which will be used to increase patrol presence and target dangerous driving behaviors.
The larger of the two grants provides $50,000 specifically for DUI enforcement. These funds will cover overtime costs to deploy additional officers during holiday periods and designated DUI enforcement operations. The goal is to prevent impaired driving during high-traffic times.
A second grant of $40,000 will support speed enforcement efforts. This funding will enable officers to increase their presence on roadways and focus on multiple traffic violations. These include distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, and other behaviors that increase accident risk.
The grants will allow the Gila River Police Department to expand staffing, conduct more comprehensive traffic investigations, and continue community education programs about traffic safety.
“These grants help us do more than enforce traffic laws — they help us protect lives,” said William Lewis, Interim Chief of Police for the Gila River Police Department. “Every hour of extra patrol, every DUI stop, every moment of visibility on our roadways makes a difference. We’re thankful for the continued support from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety as we work to make our community’s roads safer for everyone.”
