Commissioners Court Meeting

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Meeting Date:	08/28/2017
TX DOT "No Refusal" Grant
Submitted for:	Isidro Alaniz	Submitted By:	David Sanchez
Department:	District Attorney

Subject:

Discussion and possible action to authorize the acceptance of a Fiscal Year 2018 "No Refusal" grant award from the Texas Department of Transportation in the amount of $21,000; and authorizing the Webb County Judge to execute all relevant documents; and any other matters incident thereto. This grant requires a 35% match (23% cash match, 12% in Kind). Forfeiture funds will be utilized to cover the cash match requirement. [Requested by Isidro "Chilo" Alaniz, District Attorney]

Issue: Drinking and driving remains a serious public safety concern that tragically affects many victims and their families every year. Webb County remains one of the five counties in South Texas to have a high number of alcohol-related crashes. Webb County District Attorney’s Office records show that the number of DWI cases filed remains high. In 2013, 479 cases were filed, 597 cases were filed in 2014 and 335 cases were filed in 2015. From January 1, 2016 to November 30, 2016, a total of 365 DWI cases have already been filed with the District Attorney’s Office. According to data requested from the Texas Department of Transportation, in Webb County, out of the 133 alcohol-related crashes that occurred in 2015, 88 of them occurred during weekends (Friday-Sunday).

Solution: As part of a continuous commitment to reduce and prevent impaired driving, the Webb County District Attorney’s Office would like to continue and implement the “No Refusal” program in Webb County, which brings together public awareness, stronger enforcement and effective prosecution.

Result: Reduce the number of DWI offenses and prevent alcohol-related crashes throughout Webb County through the implementation of the "No Refusal Program" resulting in arrests on weekends, targeted holidays and special events.

Background:

In 2013, the Webb County District Attorney’s Office launched it’s first “No Refusal Weekend” in coordination with the county judges, Laredo Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Sheriff’s Office in an attempt to deter drunk driving during Halloween weekend. The “No Refusal” legislation allows law enforcement officials to legally acquire a search warrant for blood samples from drivers who are suspected of drunk driving. Many cities in Texas have already implemented this initiative all year long or on weekends, holidays and special events.

Previous Court Action:

The Governing Body approved the submission of the grant application on January 9, 2017.

Fiscal Impact

Budget Account Number:	N/A
Funding Source:	N/A
Balance:	N/A
Financial Impact:
No financial impact to the General Fund.

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