SD Probation Department Gets Grant For DUI Offender Supervision

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — The San Diego County Probation Department announced Monday it has received a $335,000 grant to fund more comprehensive supervision for people convicted of DUI offenses.

The grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety will support a monitoring program for "high-risk, felony and repeat DUI offenders," according to a statement from San Diego County, which said county probation officers typically use drug/alcohol testing and home visits to assess DUI offenders' compliance with court-ordered programs.

San Diego County interim Probation Chief Cesar Escuro said, "Our monitoring program helps probationers stay on track with treatment and other court-ordered measures. The goal is that with additional guidance and help, it will reduce the number of probationers who are arrested or cited again for DUI."

The county says the grant, which runs through September 2022, will also fund operations focusing on probation violations, in addition to officer training, alcohol testing and collaborations with courts and prosecutors.

"Prevention and treatment are valuable tools in reducing DUI recidivism rates," OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. "Monitoring programs are intended to steer probationers in the right direction."

— City News Service