Georgia State Patrol gets $2.37 million grant for DUI task force

Specially trained Georgia state troopers will continue to remove impaired drivers from the state's highways under a $2.37 million grant.

The Governor's Office of Highway Safety awarded the grant to the Georgia Department of Public Safety through the Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic program, or HEAT, according to a news release.

The money will not only fund the Georgia State Patrol's Nighthawks DUI Task Force, but provide training and legal support for the Administrative License Suspension program.

In 2004, Nighthawks started focusing patrols during peak hours for impaired drivers in the Atlanta metro area. Five years later, Nighthawks expanded to Savannah, Statesboro and Athens and formed a third team to cover Macon and Columbus in 2012.

The new grant will fund the program through September of 2016.

"Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for law enforcement officers to encounter an impaired driver," Georgia's public safety commissioner Col. Mark McDonough stated in the release. "Our

agency is committed to promoting safe driving practices by removing these drivers from our roads."

The HEAT campaign strives to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths by encouraging sober driving and increasing seat belt use.

Governor's Office of Highway Safety Director Harris Blackwood said the Nighthawks are dedicated to protecting the public from those under the influence.

"This dedication is crucial because alcohol-related crash deaths still account for 25 percent of traffic fatalities in Georgia," Blackwood stated in the release.

In certain circumstances, the state can administratively suspend someone's driver's license and the grant also will pay for attorneys if a citizen contests the suspension.

The Department of Public Safety also works with Click It of Ticket and Operation Zero Tolerance DUI campaigns.

In a recent public service announcement about holiday traffic enforcement, Governor Nathan Deal mentioned officers will be on the lookout for impaired drivers to make sure people "come home from the holidays."

"Watch your speed, put down the phone and don't get behind the wheel if you've been drinking," said Deal, who was flanked by officers in the video.

Blackwood also reminded drivers to call 911 if they spot someone driving erratically, or punch *GSP to be connected to the nearest state patrol post.

He urged people to take car keys away from those who have been drinking, designate sober drivers and have taxi phone numbers programmed into cell phone contacts.

To contact writer Liz Fabian, call 744-4303 and follow her on Twitter@liz_lines.

This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 12:27 PM with the headline "Georgia State Patrol gets $2.37 million grant for DUI task force ."