Drunk and drugged driving remains the number one killer on our roadways, with 802 deaths and nearly 24,000 injuries. The “Avoid the Five” DUI Task Force will be combating this deadly problem through DUI enforcement efforts in Shasta County. Redding Police Department will be administering a recent $104,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety for the entire county.
“Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs continues to be a significant issue in Shasta County. The “Avoid the Five” DUI Task Force provides very beneficial funding for all the participating agencies combating DUI drivers,” said Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti.
The “Avoid the Five” DUI Task Force is named to send the message that if you don’t drink or use drugs and drive, you will avoid getting arrested by any of the five participating law enforcement agencies in the county.
The grant activities will specifically target those who get behind the wheel after drinking too much or using drugs that impair driving. Officers from law enforcement agencies across the county will jointly staff DUI/Driver License Checkpoints and roving DUI saturation patrols. Additionally, funding will target the ‘worst of the worst’ repeat DUI offenders with Warrant/Probation Sweeps and Court Sting Enforcement Operations focusing on DUI offenders with suspend licenses who drive from court hearings after being ordered not to by a judge.
“California’s roadways are still among the safest in the nation,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. “But to meet future mobility, safety, and sustainability objectives, we must create safer roadways for all users. The “Avoid the 5” Shasta County DUI Task Force will be using these and other resources to reach the vision we all share – Toward zero deaths, every 1 counts.”
Motorists can expect to see special DUI campaigns during the winter and summer holiday periods as well as on Halloween, Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo and during local special events with identified DUI Problems. Funding for the grant comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Agencies participating in the ‘Avoid the Five’ taskforce include:
Redding Police Department
Anderson Police Department
Shasta County Sheriff’s Department
Shasta County Probation
California Highway Patrol
– Press Release
