By Rebecca Dopp
Times-News Correspondent
At the end of last year, when the
county and the sheriff's office discussed budgets, they
decided that $50,000 would be set aside for use in special
enforcement. A portion of that money was contracted with the
Utah Highway Patrol to conduct crash reduction shifts in
high traffic areas, mainly I-15 South and construction
areas. Sheriffs deputies were also involved with the
program.
Sheriff Alden Orme said that they
figured the funding would last for six months, but they were
able to stretch it another month and cover all the
shifts.
Orme said that the funding had been
depleted and wanted to know if the county would continue the
program for another six months.
Orme said the program had been
successful and had made a significant impact in removing
drunk drivers and drug-related drivers from the freeway. It
had also reduced fatigued driver accidents, and helped
reduce other accidents on the freeway mainly because
officers were visible (slowing down speeders, taking
impaired drivers off the freeway, waking fatigued drivers
up, etc.)
"We feel that it's been a
worthwhile project," said Orme. "One of the side factors of
that is that it makes revenue for the county, though that's
not why we are doing it."
He said there had been an increase
in citations that were dealt with in the justice court,
several for excessive speeding and unsafe driving. He said
there had been an increase in DUI arrests as
well.
The county commission felt that
this was a very worthwhile program and agreed to renew the
contract for the remainder of the year for the amount to be
between $40,000-$50,000.
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