HCSO Releases the Results of the 2016-2017 RIID Grant from Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO)

Hamilton County, TN – Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is officially releasing the results of the 2016-2017 RIID Grant that was awarded as a Alcohol Enforcement Grant which ran from October 1, 2016 thru September 30, 2017 from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) for $76,000.00.

The RIID Grant, (Remove Impaired-Intoxicated Drivers), allows the HCSO the opportunity to use additional federal funds to support traffic enforcement operations for the sole purpose of removing impaired and/or intoxicated drivers from our roads in order to protect our community from senseless and fatal crashes that may occur as a result of alcohol and/or drug impairment.

Thanks to the RIID grant, HCSO Patrol Deputies along with the supporting efforts of the School Resource Division were able to actively work additional traffic enforcement activities throughout the county in order to reduce impaired driving and enforce motorist safety. School Resource Officers also contributed to the success of the RIID Grant by educating our youth. During the 2016 -2017 RIID Grant period a total of six hundred twenty three (623) presentations were made by SRO’s on topics such as drunk driving, driving impaired, drugs and consequences, texting, and the negative effects of drugs and alcohol. Thirteen thousand six hundred three (13,603) students participated in these presentations. In April, a simulated crash was conducted at Sale Creek Middle / High School in cooperation of the Hamilton County Health Department to further illustrate to students the dangers of driving while impaired or intoxicated.

A total of one hundred fifty-one (151) arrests were made during the 2016 - 2017 grant period for offenses of DUI, Driving on Revoked or Suspended Driver’s License, Misdemeanor and Felony Drug Possession alone. Additional arrest and issuance of traffic violation citations also occurred.

During the 2016 - 2017 grant period Hamilton County Sheriff's Office investigated a total of seven (7) fatal crashes in the unincorporated areas with three (3) of them being alcohol related. Thanks to the additional RIID Grant funding, deputies are removing more impaired and intoxicated drivers from the roads and it is clear lives are being saved.

The RIID Grant has allowed deputies and traffic personnel to see improvements due to the higher visibility of more law enforcement personnel and increased enforcement measures. RIID Grants allow HCSO to have additional manpower to saturate all of Hamilton County to include all municipalities and the citizens in Hamilton County have been able to see an increased presence of law enforcement personnel.

HCSO Captain Charles Lowery, Jr. will be available today, Wednesday, October 18th from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm for interviews at the HCSO EAST Annex located at 8395 Hickory Valley Road to discuss last year’s RIID Grant successes and numbers. Please contact HCSO PIO J. Matt Lea no later than 12:00 pm for interview appointments. Times are first come first serve.

About the Tennessee Highway Safety Office:

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) is Tennessee's advocate for traffic safety. THSO works in tandem with the National Highway Safety Administration to implement statewide programs addressing occupant protection, impaired driving, speed enforcement, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and crash data collection and analysis. Programs administered by THSO are 100 percent federally funded. THSO’s mission is to effectively develop, implement and evaluate these programs. To learn more about the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.