The Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is one of 32 law enforcement agencies in Georgia to receive a Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (H.E.A.T.) grant for use in DUI enforcement.
HCSO received an award totaling $87,403. The agency’s H.E.A.T. Unit will use the funding from GOHS to develop and implement strategies aimed at reducing local traffic crashes caused by aggressive and dangerous driving behaviors.
The goal of the H.E.A.T. program is to combat crashes, injuries, and fatalities caused by impaired driving and speeding, while also increasing seat belt use and educating the public about traffic safety and the dangers of driving under the influence.
“Crash data shows enforcement and education of traffic laws are two of the most effective countermeasures to help our state and nation reduce crashes and eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our roads,” said Allen Poole, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “Each life saved on our roads is one less family that will have to live with the pain of losing a loved one whose life was taken from them in a traffic crash that was preventable.”
H.E.A.T. grants fund specialized traffic enforcement units in counties across Georgia. The program was designed to assist jurisdictions with the highest rates of traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities, with grants awarded based on impaired driving and speeding data.
“The H.E.A.T. Grant has been a key element in helping reduce fatality crashes caused by impaired drivers in Hall County,” said Lt. Jeremy Cooksey, who oversees the Hall County Sheriff’s Office H.E.A.T. Unit. “Hall County continues to grow rapidly, and that means our deputies are seeing increasing numbers of motorists and unsafe driving behaviors. This grant allows us to expand not only our enforcement efforts, but also our education initiatives throughout the community. We’re thankful to have this continued partnership with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.”