Town police have received approval for a $23,800 grant from the state, with that money to be used for police overtime pay for speed enforcement and for the acquisition of speed-detection radar equipment.

Notably, according to a recent statistical report on statewide traffic enforcement, during a 12-month period, Newtown police had the highest rate of motor vehicle stops of any municipal police department in the state.

That study found that Newtown police made 452 motor vehicle stops for every 1,000 town residents who are age 16 and over. About one-half of the Newtown motor vehicle stops were speed-related.

Newtown police made more than 9,400 motor vehicle stops during the 12-month period. According to the statistics, of those 9,400 motorists stopped in Newtown, 2 percent received misdemeanor summonses, 25 percent got infractions, 46 percent received written warnings, and 26 percent got verbal warnings.

Lieutenant Christopher Vanghele said the town received the enforcement grant approval from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) under the “high-risk rural roads speed enforcement program.”

The grant allows the police department to spend up to $4,000 for the purchase of a new radar unit for a patrol car, he said.

Also, the grant will cover $19,800 in police overtime to pay officers who will conduct speed patrols to apprehend violators.

That enforcement will consist of the police holding two four-hour speed-control projects on 22 individual dates. Those dates will fall between July 18 and August 30, Lt Vanghele said.

Police will focus their speed enforcement on state roads, on roads that have high accident rates, and on roads that are used by motorists as shortcuts or as cut-throughs. Motorists using shortcuts often exceed the speed limits.

Also, police plan to use their electronic signboard to warn motorists about the dangers of speeding.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe has said that the most frequent type of complaint that police receive concerns residents who feel unsafe while traveling on roadways due to speeding drivers and distracted drivers.

Speeding is the prime cause of motor vehicle accidents, according to Sergeant Aaron Bahamonde, who heads the police department’s traffic unit. Speeding results in motorists losing control of vehicles and getting involved in collisions.