LUMBERTON — Police will step up enforcement of traffic and safety laws after the City Council Monday night approved the department’s request to purchase a speed trailer and the donation of eight tint meters from the Lumberton Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association.

Barney Bornn, president of the alumni association, told the council during its regular monthly meeting that his organization supports the Police Department by donating equipment it needs, but cannot afford under budget constraints.

“Traffic stops are among the most common actions police officers take — and are by far the most dangerous,” Bornn said. “Until the officer can see into the car there is no way to tell whether the driver is a heavy-footed but otherwise law abiding citizen, or whether the car is full of armed felons who have just committed a crime.”

Tint meters are used by police to determine if a vehicle’s windows are too dark. Police Chief Mike McNeill said after the meeting that an officer’s ability to see movement in a car is vital to his or her safety and that tinted windows pose a threat to that officer.

The department had only one meter before the donation. Officers use cards, which are sometimes difficult to read, to determine whether the tint of a window is illegal.

The council also approved the purchase of a speed trailer. A grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety program for $8,121.26 covers 85 percent of the purchase. The remaining 15 percent, or $1,218.26, will come out of the department’s operating budget.

McNeill said that the trailer will likely be set up near schools to show motorists how fast they are driving and to remind them of the safety risk they pose to children at the school.

“We are trying to enforce the law as much as possible,” McNeill said. “It isn’t about writing more tickets, but about keeping our officers and citizenry safe, especially our young people.”

In other business, the council:

— Directed Jody Allen, building inspector, to demolish a condemned home at 148 Spearman St. and remove the structures.

— Approved an agreement with The Wooten Company to begin inspections and housing work write-ups for a $75,000 grant from the N.C. Housing Finance Agency for urgent repairs on 12 low-income, special-needs, owner-occupied homes.

— Approved an agreement with Robert E. Price to provide legal services for the Community Development Block Grant Economic Recovery program.

— Awarded a $156,036.50 contract to Horne & Son Construction for water and sewer installation and street improvements for a Community Development Block Grant project.

— Awarded a $242,878.93 contract to Hooplaugh Grading for water and sewer installation and street improvements for the Carriage Hills Community Development Block Grant project.

— Awarded a $1,715 contract to Roy Consulting for lead-based paint and asbestos abatement.

— Approved an agreement with the N.C. Department of Transportation for a $204,598 grant to build taxiways to the new airport hangars. The city and county shares are $10,229 each.

— Approved the Fire Department’s application for the 2011 Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters grant, which will provide the city with $37,800 for new equipment for the department’s Rapid Intervention Team. The city will contribute $4,200.

— Approved the Police Department’s acceptance of a $126,399 grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety program, which will continue to pay for the traffic enforcement team. The city’s share is $37,920.

— Approved the Police Department’s acceptance of a $42,751 grant from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance grant program to pay for a K-9 unit, equipment and overtime for the department.

— Approved the purchase of a 2011 Ford 150 truck for $19,735.50 for the Public Works Department to replace a 1986 Ford truck.

— Approved the purchase of a Godwin 6-inch diameter portable by-pass pump for $26,548.65 for the Public Works Department.

— Referred to the Planning Board a re-zoning request by RAB Group Lumberton for a property located at 2109 Elizabethtown Road. The request is to re-zone the property from M-1, light manufacturing, to B-4, business general commercial to allow for retail sales.

— Referred to the Planning Board a re-zoning request by Stewart Whitted for a property located at 1570 Meadow Road. The request is to re-zone the property from R-6, single family residential, to Agriculture, to allow for a single-wide mobile home and farming.

— Referred to the Planning Board a re-zoning request by Stephen Adams for a property located at 510 E. 22nd St. The request is to re-zone the property from B-2, Business Community, to R-7, residential single family/duplex.

— Referred to the Planning Board a request for a conditional-use permit by Dorothy Wilkerson for a property located at 12603 N. Barker St. for a two-family conversion.

— Referred to the Planning Board a request for a conditional-use permit by Veronica Elkins for a property located at 3555-A N. Roberts Ave. for a bingo parlor.

— Approved the release of August taxes collected in error in the amount of $9,408.19.

— Designated $800 of community revitalization funds to Sunshine Seekers, a visually impaired group at the Pine Street Senior Center.

— Designated $400 of community revitalization funds to West Lumberton Elementary School for the Positive Behavioral Support Program.

— Designated $600 of community revitalization funds to Knuckles Elementary School for the Positive Behavioral Support Program.

— De-obligated $600 for a handicap ramp at 512 Bay St. and re-obligated the money for a ramp at to 177 C. Ave.