Sonoma County Probation Department awarded grant to supervise people with multiple DUI convictions

The Sonoma County Probation Department has received a $212,000 grant for an intensive probation supervision program for high-risk DUI offenders with multiple DUI convictions.

The funds from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) grant will go toward supervision of probationers to make sure they are following court-ordered terms of their probation and to prevent probationers from re-offending.

“This grant will allow us to tackle the complex issues surrounding repeat DUI offenders, providing vital resources and guidance to break the cycle of alcohol-related offenses,” Sonoma County Deputy Chief Probation Officer Wardell Anderson said. “With this funding, we can create safer roads and a healthier community by reducing the incidence of DUI offenses.”

“The intensive supervision programs are critical to reducing the devastating consequences of DUI offenses,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “Prevention is an effective, proactive tool to address the often tragic consequences of impaired driving.”

The probation grant will also pay for warrant operations targeting probation violations and/or DUI suspects who do not appear in court, alcohol testing, officer training in Standard Field Sobriety Testing, distribution of DUI “Be On the Lookout” alerts, and collaborating with courts and prosecutors to establish probation orders. The grant program runs through September 2024.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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