HCSO receives two grants

Hamilton County, Tenn. (WDEF) –  The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department has received two important grants.

The first will help get impaired drivers off the roads this holiday season.

The other provides child passenger safety information.

The department applies for the grants every year from the Governor’s highway safety office.

The money frees officers to go a step further in cracking down on violators.

“It’s definitely working. And one of the things that we are catching more of is people that are driving on revoked license as a result of a DUI conviction. So, we’re seeing an increase in that, where the public just decides, ‘well, I’m just going to drive anyway, regardless of what the court said.’ And the same penalty for DUI is the same penalty for driving on revoked,” says Captain Charles Lowery with the HCSO Traffic Division.

The intoxicated driver grant is for $76,000 and the grant for “Safe Journey” child safety is for $125,000.