4/8/2024
Bend, OR. – Official Release: Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) was awarded the Oregon 2023 DUII Enforcement Agency of the Year in a ceremony last Thursday, April 4. The award came from the Oregon DUII Multi-Disciplinary Training Task Force in recognition for outstanding professional achievement in the deterrence and prevention of DUIIs in the State of Oregon. For the 2023 state-wide awards there were 15 awards categories with a total of 105 nominations.
This award highlights JCSO’s comprehensive approach to ensuring road safety and reducing DUII incidents within the community. In 2023, the JCSO’s Patrol Division, which was comprised of approximately 40-sworn personnel, were responsible for the following:
• 1,032 Crash Investigations
• 367 DUII Arrests
• 13,526 Traffic Stops
Beyond DUII enforcement, JCSO has adopted a strategy to prevent DUIIs, emphasizing strong community ties and proactive education. Our efforts include the launch of a Citizen Recognition Program to honor and encourage public involvement in identifying impaired drivers, enhancing collaborations with emergency response teams, and the delivery of extensive educational programs targeting various community segments.
Key educational initiatives spearheaded by JCSO in 2023 encompass a range of programs:
Victim Impact Panel: A mandatory course for those convicted of DUII and others interested in understanding the consequences of impaired driving, facilitated by a combination of law enforcement, medical professionals, victims, and offenders.
Drug Impairment Training for Educational Professionals (DITEP): Aimed at school personnel, this course focuses on identifying and intervening with students impaired by drugs.
Students for a Safer Tomorrow: This program educates high school students on DUII investigation, the risks of impairment, and prevention strategies.
Citizens Academy: Offering citizens insights into the dangers of DUII, through discussions on crash statistics, impairment detection, and sobriety testing.
JCSO also places a significant emphasis on law enforcement training, including refreshers on field sobriety testing, advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement, and specialized courses on drug influence evaluation.
JCSO’s dedication extends to allocating specialized resources and expertise, such as traffic units focused on DUII enforcement, Drug Recognition Experts to assist in DUII cases, and a team specialized in Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction.
The “2023 DUII Enforcement Agency of the Year” award is a testament to JCSO Patrol’s steadfast commitment and impactful strategies in creating safer roadways. Their efforts not only make our community safer but also serve as an example for other law enforcement agencies in the fight against impaired driving.
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