The Tennessee Highway Safety Office has awarded the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office a 2018-2019 RIDD grant for $85,000.
The RIID (Remove Impaired-Intoxicated Drivers) grant gives the HCSO additional federal funds to remove impaired and intoxicated drivers from state roads.
Grant funding provides paid overtime, highway safety training and equipment for law enforcement agencies, specialized DUI prosecutors, resources for emergency response personnel and educational tools to help improve driver behavior.
Last year’s RIDD grant allowed the HCSO to utilize overtime and additional hours for traffic enforcement. Over 200 arrests were made during the 2017-2018 grant period for DUI, driving on a revoked or suspended driver’s license and misdemeanor and felony drug possession.
In addition, during the 2017-2018 RIID grant period, HCSO school resource officers made over 1,400 presentations on drunk driving, driving impaired, texting and the negative effects of drugs and alcohol. Over 38,000 students participated in those presentations.
In March, a simulated crash was conducted at Soddy Daisy High School in cooperation of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department to further illustrate to students the dangers of driving while impaired or intoxicated.
During the 2017-2018 grant period, the HCSO investigated seven fatal crashes in unincorporated areas, with one being alcohol related.
RIID grants also allow the HCSO to have additional manpower on Hamilton County’s roads.
Source: HCSO