Sheriff’s Dept. Awarded $300K for DUI Enforcement

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department has been awarded a $300,000 grant for DUI enforcement, it was announced Tuesday.

“Partnerships amongst County law enforcement agencies help to strengthen our efforts to combat drunk and impaired driving,” Sheriff Bill Gore said in a statement. “This year we hope to continue making an impact and keeping our roads safe for the people of San Diego County.”

The grant will help the county’s Avoid the 15 DUI Task Force, which includes 15 law enforcement agencies across the county, including the San Diego Police Department.

“The Avoid DUI Task Forces have been an essential part of the phenomenal reduction in DUI deaths on our roadways in the last five years in California,” Christopher J. Murphy, director of the Office of Traffic Safety, said in a statement. “Tragically, DUI deaths remain the largest sector, at more than 30 percent of traffic fatalities. This grant will help combat that, making San Diego County a safer place to live and work.”

Activities covered by the grant include: DUI/driver license checkpoints; DUI saturation patrols; warrant sweeps and multi-agency task force operations for the “worst of the worst” repeat DUI offenders.

Law enforcement agencies also conduct special DUI campaigns during major holidays and events such as Super Bowl Sunday and Cinco de Mayo.

Avoid the 15 Task Force agencies:

• California State Park Ocotillo Wells
• Cal State San Marcos
• Chula Vista Police Department
• Coronado Police Department
• Escondido Police Department
• Harbor Police
• La Mesa Police Department
• National Cty Police Department
• Oceanside Police Department
• Palomar College
• San Diego County Probation
• San Diego County Sheriff's Department
• San Diego Police Department
• San Diego State University
• University of California, San Diego