DUI Task Force Gets Funding Grant

Avoid the 12 received a $130,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Avoid the 12 refers to a dozen agencies you can avoid by designating a driver. The 12 agencies that make up the program’s DUI task force are the California Highway Patrol, Guadalupe Police Department, Lompoc Police Department, Santa Barbara Police Department, Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office, Santa Maria Police Department, UCSB Police Department, Allan Hancock College Police Department, California State Parks, California Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control (ABC), U.S. Department of Forest Service and Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department considers drunk and drugged driving the number one killer on roadways.

Grant activities will target repeat DUI offenders with warrant and probation sweeps and sting operations. Past stings focused on DUI offenders who drove to court hearings on suspended licenses.

A portion of grant funding will also go to DUI and driver’s license checkpoints Crashes involving alcohol have been shown to drop by 20 percent when publicized checkpoints are conducted often.

Avoid campaigns are underway in more than 40 California counties.