Two grants for Modesto police before City Council

Modesto police officers are offered a hand from two grants that the City Council is expected to accept tonight.

One provides $500,000 from the Justice Department to improve regional emergency radio communications.

The other gives the city $35,791 from the state Office of Traffic Safety to pay for police overtime at sobriety checkpoints.

The council meets at 5:30 tonight in the basement chamber of Tenth Street Place, 1010 10th St.