Briefly in the news

-- Deepa Bharath

Newport Beach Police Department has added a motorcycle officer

specifically to cut down on driving under the influence and speeding. The

new appointment was made possible by a $175,000 grant from the state

office of traffic safety through the business, transportation and housing

agency.

The new officer will team up with another motorcycle officer to form a

year-round DUI Enforcement Team, officials said. The grant will cover

100% of the salary for the additional motorcycle officer for one year and

50% of his or her salary for the second year. The money will also help

the department buy 10 laser radar units that detect speeding violations.

Officials say a third of all accidents and one-third of all injury

accidents that occur in Newport Beach every year are caused either by

drunken driving or speeding. Last year alone, Newport Beach Police made

610 DUI arrests, officials said.

Conducting DUI checkpoints is also part of the program. According to

officials, the department aims to set up a minimum of two checkpoints by

the end of the year.