MADD Volunteers Launch Pilot Program Labor Day Weekend
On Thursday, August 27, Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube announced that his department and Florida's local Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) chapters are partnering up in an unprecedented program planned to launch this Labor Day weekend. The program places volunteer MADD observers on the side of local roadways and highways in order to observe traffic and report potential drunk drivers. This additional level of security will be utilized in conjunction with specially scheduled DUI checkpoints and Saturation Patrols.
MADD's program, aptly titled the Traffic Observation Program (TOP), is the first of its kind in the nation and will serve as a pilot program lasting for the duration of six months. After six months, the program's success, based on response times, percent of arrests, and number of observations and interceptions, will be assessed.
Participants in the Traffic Observation Program will be paired into teams of two and will be given the task of observing oncoming traffic on local roadways and highways for signs of impairment from unmarked, civilian vehicles. If a driver is suspected of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the MADD volunteers will report the vehicle to the Sheriff's department for further investigation. MADD Volunteer Leader LaVonne Bower states that MADD observers have received specialized in-class and ride-along training in order to be able to properly identify individuals suspected of driving under the influence.
While the Traffic Observation Program is being launched on Labor Day weekend, the MADD volunteers have no intention of isolating their roadside observations to holidays or weekends. The roadside teams will be on the road every weekend, in addition to several nights during the week, for the next six months, until the success of the program can be properly evaluated.
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