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CDOT Gives $86,000 in Grants to Support Summit County DUI Enforcement Efforts

August 17, 2015

Five law enforcement agencies in Summit County have recently been given about $86,000 in grants to share between them for enhanced DUI enforcement efforts for the next 12 months.

Summit County law enforcement agencies have just received a lot of grant money form CDOT for DUI enforcement efforts, a Denver & Boulder DUI lawyer explains.

Coming from the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (LEAF), these grants have been split up as follows:

$35,000 to the Dillion Police Department
$20,000 to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office
$13,000 to the Silverthorne Police Department
$10,000 to the Frisco Police Department
$8,000 to the Breckenridge Police Department.

These grants were reportedly awarded based on needs and interest, with each agency having to specifically apply for the funding annually. Designated in July, the DUI enforcement funding is intended to run through June 2016.

How the DUI Grants Will Be Used

As CDOT has noted, the DUI grants are to be used to pay additional patrols over a series of enforcement weekends designated by CDOT. Over these periods, one of the above agencies will reportedly have a designated “DUI car” that will assist other patrols that are making DUI stops and arrests.

The idea is that the DUI car will support the administrative work that law enforcement agencies need to do once they make a DUI arrest. With this support, the patrols can stay out on the roads, rather than getting bogged down in paperwork during a shift, Mark Heminghous, chief of the Dillion Police Department, has explained.

More on LEAF DUI Funding

According to CDOT, the LEAF program has been in existence since 1983. At that time, there were an average of 42,000 DUI arrests and about 400 alcohol-related traffic deaths reported by the state. Since the program has been in effect, however, officials report that the number of DUI arrests made by officers has been cut in half.

Seemingly, this indicates that enhanced DUI enforcement may be an effective deterrent to impaired driving.

Commenting on these DUI enforcement efforts, Glenn Davis, a manager of impaired driving programs, has explained, “[LEAF is] designed to put itself out of business… We mostly buy time for officers to go out and do impaired driving enforcement.”

What This Means for You

Ultimately, this news about increased DUI funding and enforcement means that law enforcement officials in Summit County remain focused on nabbing allegedly drunk drivers.

So, if you live in or are planning to travel to Summit County, be warned – cops are looking for impaired drivers. Plan a sober ride if you will be out enjoying alcohol in this area – or anywhere in Colorado – to avoid being accused of drunk driving.

Contact a Denver & Boulder DUI Lawyer at the Griffin Law Firm

Have you been charged with a DUI? If so, you can turn to the Denver & Boulder DUI lawyer at Griffin Law Firm for experienced help and the best possible defense. With more than 18 years’ experience in the criminal justice system, our attorney understands the complexities of the system, the challenges different defendants can face and the best ways of overcoming these challenges to bring criminal cases to successful resolutions.

To receive a complete evaluation of your case, along with professional advice regarding your best options, contact us by calling (303) 280-1070 or by emailing us using the contact form at the top of this page.