Topeka police increase presence on city streets due to statewide campaign.

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Topeka police will be increasing their presence on the city's streets this summer in a crackdown on traffic violations and seat belt safety.

The Topeka Police Department (TPD) announced on May 3 its intentions to participate in the statewide Memorial Day "Click It or Ticket" campaign. This starts on Thursday, May 16 and ends on Sunday, June 2.

City of Topeka spokeswoman Rosie Nichols says drivers can expect to see additional officers patrolling around the city during this timeframe. They will be focusing on enforcing seat belt safety and other traffic laws.

In addition to this campaign, the TPD will also be setting up more sobriety checkpoints this year. These will be active around major holidays or events which are typically associated with people drinking lots of alcohol.

Click It or Ticket is funded through a Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant awarded by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). The TPD's current contract, running from October 2023 to September 2024, is for $30,000.

Last year's campaign resulted in more than 140 instances where law enforcement issued citations or made arrests. In total, 76 adults were cited for seatbelt use, 13 driver's license violations were found and two DUI arrests were made.

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