Grant money to fund DUI task force van

The Pinal County Sheriff's Office recently received a $300,000 grant from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to purchase a regional DUI Task Force van.

Sheriff Paul Babeu is holding a press conference at Carr-McNatt Park in Casa Grande on Friday, Oct. 2, at 5 p.m. to allow the public to view and tour the van. Aberto Gutier, director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety and other community leaders also will be on hand to answer questions.

The Pinal County Regional DUI Task Force van will be used to conduct weekly enforcement efforts throughout the county and will provide a strong visual deterrent to warn drivers about the dangers of driving while impaired by alcohol and drugs.

Arizona has a targeted program aimed at reducing alcohol-related fatalities; the core of which is an extensive network of DUI task forces conducting multi-agency enforcement and checkpoints throughout the state. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, founding partner of the Pinal County Regional DUI Task Force, has partnered with 13 law enforcement agencies across Pinal County to combine resources and implement multi-agency DUI details in an effort to impact impaired driving related incidents.

Sheriff Babeu is a strong proponent of the enforcement of state DUI and impaired-driver laws.

“It was crucial that the largest law enforcement agency in the county, PCSO, spearhead this task force and support the agencies we work with," Babeu said. "Knowing alcohol-related collisions are the leading cause of death for people between the ages of  six and 33, and that more than 50 percent of all fatal collisions in Pinal County are alcohol-related shows us there is a serious problem that we can have a definite impact on if we work together through strict enforcement and zero tolerance."
Babeu said he's appreciative of the support from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety

“The funding provided for this DUI van will undoubtedly improve the safety of our residents by providing our law enforcement agencies a place to safely and more efficiently process those suspected of driving while impaired,” Babeu said.


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