Poughkeepsie - Dutchess County Executive William R. Steinhaus is distributing $215,600 in STOP-DWI monies to nine local law enforcements agencies to provide additional dedicated police patrols and sobriety checkpoints throughout the county in an ongoing effort to reduce the amount of alcohol-related crashes.
County Executive Steinhaus said, “Our STOP-DWI funding has produced measurable and impressive outcomes. We have seen impaired driving arrests increase 26% over the past five years as a direct result of our STOP-DWI efforts. We are pleased to continue our support of local law enforcement agencies in our partnership to deter drunk driving and ensure the safety of all motorists.”
Dutchess County STOP-DWI data reveals impaired driving arrests countywide were up more than 26% from 2002 to 2007 thanks to the increased law enforcement focus. In 2007, there were a total of 1,863 impaired driving arrests countywide, an increase of 12% over the previous year, as a result of the Dutchess County STOP-DWI funding.
Each of the funding agreements stipulate the respective law enforcement agency must assign additional dedicated patrols with emphasis on locations, days and hours statistically high in alcohol related crashes and previous arrests. The assigned dedicated patrols are in addition to regular police coverage.
The County’s share of the funding for the STOP-DWI Program is allocated for training, sobriety checkpoints and over-time patrols across a group of local agencies including:
- Town of East Fishkill
- Town of Fishkill
- Town of Poughkeepsie
- Town of Hyde Park
- City of Beacon
- City of Poughkeepsie
- Village of Fishkill
- Village of Wappingers Falls
- Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
“The additional patrols and increased checkpoints help to keep our roads safer for all drivers and send a very clear message –if you break the law by drinking and driving in Dutchess County, you will be caught,” concluded County Executive Steinhaus.
The STOP-DWI program’s mission is to deter drunk and drugged driving through enhanced enforcement, prosecution, rehabilitation and public information, education services. The Dutchess County STOP-DWI Planning Board remains committed to a comprehensive program using proactive, research based activities and services. The program is self-sufficient with no support from local taxes. Programming is one hundred percent (100%) funded from fines assessed to impaired driving convictions in Dutchess County.
