The Rochester Police Department was awarded a $1,500 grant this week from the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division.

The department will use funds from the grant to purchase a number of child car seats to be distributed and installed by Child Passenger Safety Technician Officer Robert Nordahl. Rochester Police Chief Paul Magee credited Nordahl with writing the grant.

"Officer Nordahl did a great job preparing this grant which resulted in the maximum award amount being issued to the department," Magee said in a released statement.

The seats will be used at CPS checkup and fitting stations run by the department. This program aims to help reduce child passenger fatalities and injuries by distributing federally approved car seats to residents in need as well as educating parents, grandparents, and child caregivers on the proper installation and usage of child safety seats.