Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/190797
Sarasota News Leader October 11, 2013 Page 88 27 ARRESTED ON DUI CHARGES IN SATURATION PATROLS The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office conducted saturation patrols on eight different days in September, including the Labor Day holiday, resulting in 27 DUI arrests and 383 traffic citations for other offenses, the office has reported. not include DUI arrests made outside those specific initiatives. "Saturation patrols are conducted instead of what is referred to as a 'DUI checkpoint,'" the release says. They include a number of deputies in the Patrol and Traffic units working Deputies are conducting "monthly saturation targeted zones at the same time to monitor patrols to remove dangerous, uninsured or driving activity, the release continues. impaired drivers from local roadways to keep This initiative is conducted in partnership with motorists safe," a news release notes. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and The above numbers are from the saturation supported through a grant from the Florida patrols only, the release points out, and do Department of Transportation, the release says. SHERIFF'S OFFICE JOINS SMART POLICING INITIATIVE The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has been invited to join the Smart Policing Initiative (SPI) as an affiliate member, the office has announced. of criminology professors from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee in 2011 to consult with and assist in evaluating its direction with "Intelligence 2 Action," the agency's SPI is a collaborative consortium composed intelligence led policing model, the release of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), notes. CNA — a nonprofit research organization that "Joining SPI provides us with a national platoperates the Center for Naval Analyses and form to share ideas and research on best the Institute for Public Research — and more practices for modern policing," said Sheriff than 30 law enforcement agencies "that are Tom Knight in the release. "The world of law testing solutions to serious crime problems in enforcement and criminal justice is dynamic, their jurisdictions," a news release points out. with tactics and performance adjusting to The goal of SPI is to identify tactics and societal trends as any social service or busistrategies that are effective, efficient and eco- ness must do," he added. nomical, as measured by reduced crime and higher case closure rates, which would be of "The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is great benefit to other law enforcement agen- committed to being at the leading edge of evidence-based and data-supported initiatives cies, the release continues. that keep the community safe and secure and BJA requires each applicant to enlist a working with other agencies and academics research partner, demonstrate the ability to with proactive strategies helps us achieve collect and analyze data and "incorporate real- that goal," Knight said. istic and meaningful performance measures to assess the effectiveness" of its efforts. The For more information on SPI, visit Sheriff's Office partnered with a core group www.smartpolicinginitiative.com/.