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Felony and repeat misdemeanor DUI offenders are over-represented in traffic crashes involving alcohol and other drugs, often with tragic results.
A new, $400,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety will help the County’s Probation Department make sure these offenders are complying with court orders. The funding comes through the state from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“The Probation Department is very pleased to have received this grant,” said San Diego County Chief Probation Officer Mack Jenkins. “It will allow us to continue the success of our Intensive Supervision DUI Unit. As a direct result of this support from the Office of Traffic Safety, streets in San Diego County will be that much safer, and more high-risk DUI offenders will be held accountable and move further along on the road to sobriety.”
The grant will pay for officers to intensively monitor drivers on probation for felony DUI or multiple misdemeanor DUI convictions. This type of supervision of high-risk offenders will include unannounced home searches, random alcohol and drug testing, and special monitoring to ensure compliance with court-ordered DUI education and treatment programs.
The Intensive Probation Supervision for High-Risk Felony and Repeat DUI Offenders grant is aimed at reducing the number of people killed and injured in alcohol and other drug related collisions in the county. In 2012, 86 were killed and 2,317 injured in these types of incidents locally.
“California’s roadways are still among the safest in the nation,” said California Office of Traffic Safety Director Rhonda Craft. “But to meet future mobility, safety, and sustainability objectives, we must create safer roadways for all users. The County of San Diego Probation Department will be using these and other resources to reach the vision we all share: Toward zero deaths, every one counts.”
