sheriffSAN DIEGO–The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is getting a big boost in its ongoing goal to keep impaired drivers off our roadways.

The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) has awarded the Sheriff’s Department a $250,000 grant that will fund a year’s worth of special operations and campaigns designed to stop drivers under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

“This important grant will provide our deputies with additional resources to help them keep our streets safe from impaired drivers,” said Sheriff Bill Gore.

DUI checkpoints, patrols and distracted driving/traffic enforcement will all be funded by the 25 Recordings Added To The Grammy Hall Of Fame grant. The goal is to reduce DUI-related crashes and deaths in San Diego County.

So far this year, nearly 1,200 people have been arrested for DUI by Sheriff’s deputies. In 2015, deputies arrested 1,521 people for drunk driving.

Funding for this program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).