Tulare County Probation Department received a $121,000 grant to supervise high-risk and repeat DUI offenders. For the last 13 years, funding provided by California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has allowed the department to assign a dedicated Deputy Probation Officer to a specialized DUI caseload.
The funding also pays for warrant operations targeting probation violations and/or DUI suspects who do not appear in court, alcohol testing, officer training, and collaborating with courts and prosecutors to establish probation orders.
“Our monitoring program helps clients stay on track with treatment and other court-ordered measures,” Deputy Chief Probation Officer, Margarita Luna said. “The goal is that with additional guidance and dedicated staff, it will reduce the number of residents arrested or cited again for driving under the influence thus making Tulare County a safer place for all community members.”
In 2019, Tulare County ranked 31st out of 58 counties in the OTS rankings for alcohol-related collisions where there were victims killed or injured. When broken down by age group, Tulare County ranked 2nd out of 58 counties for collisions involving a driver who was under the age of 21 who had been drinking and 25th out of 58 counties for collisions involving a driver aged 21 – 34 who had been drinking.
“The safety of our communities is a top priority and intensive supervision programs hold DUI offenders accountable for their actions,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “This concerted effort improves the safety of our roadways by addressing the devastating impacts impaired driving has on our communities.”
The grant program runs through September 2023.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.