The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office DUI Team identified as the Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Team (HEAT) is continuing its aggressive patrol of Berkeley County, in an effort to decrease the number of DUI-related fatalities, the BCSO announced last week.
As a result, team members were recently honored by the state.
The team is in its second year of a federally funded grant that was awarded by the U.S. Office of Highway Safety to help in the fight to decrease the number of impaired drivers on the roadways. With the award of the DUI grant to various agencies throughout the state, South Carolina has seen an overall decrease in DUI fatalities.
During 2010, the BCSO DUI Team made exceptional efforts in eliminating the number of impaired drivers. Each of the three members on the team was recognized in Columbia during the recent Law Enforcement DUI Challenge Ceremony for their outstanding efforts.
BCSO Sgt. Lonnie Mizzell and Sgt. Bruce Ashe each received a Gold Medal in recognition for generating a high number of DUI arrests. BCSO Cpl. James Elrod was also recognized and received the Silver Medal.
In addition to an aggressive approach to eliminate impaired drivers, team members conduct high visibility patrols with traffic stops, enact traffic checkpoints throughout the county, and coordinate multi-jurisdictional operations along with educational presentations on DUI laws.
Recently the team made several presentations at various high schools in Berkeley County to promote safe driving during prom season. The team’s focus included the dangers of driving while impaired and distracted driving such as texting.
With the start of the summer months’ approaching rapidly, the DUI Team continues its focus on the safety for all citizens of Berkeley County. The team will be out in full operation patrolling the streets and roadways looking for those whom elect to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and drive while impaired.
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