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All Forces Join To Stop Drunk Drivers
Delaware County Times
By Terry Hannum
April 18, 2008
The tragedies that occur due to people
attempting to operate a car while impaired by drugs or alcohol are all heart
breaking, first because they occurred and second because it was all unnecessary.
The tickets, fines and court appearances, the car wrecks and damage to property,
the injuries and the deaths are not a strange twist of fate or unexplained
incident, everything that happens due to a person driving while impaired is a
waste, a loss for everyone involved. The law enforcement officers who are
involved with drunk drivers on a regular basis face an exhausting, thankless and
dangerous job to make the roads safer for everyone. The STOP-DWI Program has
been working to help change some of this and an important part of the program is
an Annual Appreciation Breakfast and recognition awards ceremony. This is a
pause to praise law enforcement people, police, sheriff, state troopers and
emergency response individuals for the excellent work they do in this county.
On April 10 STOP-DWI Coordinator Lisa Barrows gathered
together representatives of almost every law enforcement unit in Delaware County
along with 911 and Emergency Services Coordinators and the County District
Attorney to offer thanks to everyone who plays a part in getting intoxicated
drivers off the road. Barrows reminded everyone about what a difficult year 2007
was with the flash floods, an officer killed in the line of duty and two
officers injured. The extra stress and workload from these incidents did not
impact the commitment and dedication that every person being honored on this
morning does on their job. The breakfast served in SUNY Delhi’s Alumni Hall was
a small token appreciation and thanks to those present on behalf of the Delaware
County STOP-DWI Program Barrows explained. A power point presentation followed
that highlighted new programs of education for law enforcement officials. County
Supervisor Len Utter represented the Board of Supervisors and the Public Safety
Committee.
Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) is
part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The objectives of
this program are to make a street officer qualified and confident enough to make
an arrest in impaired driving incidents. The ARIDE course is not designed to
qualify an officer as a drug enforcement specialist but will train these
officers to observe, identify and articulate signs of impairment. The program
hopes to have an outcome of reduced accidents and fatalities. Part of the
program touched on defining what a drug is and this type of specific knowledge
is necessary when faced with an impaired driver. The statistics presented were
unsettling: 119 million people consider themselves drinkers and 14% of the
population would define themselves as heavy drinkers. The percent of those who
stated that they have used illegal drugs stands at 19.5 million currently and
males are two times more likely to drive under the influence than females. The
statistics involving drunk are all a disturbing reality. To find out more about
the STOP-DWI Program in Delaware County call the Program Coordinator Lisa
Barrows at 746-8400. |
