January 4, 2023
Media Relations Division
213-257-2000
Media@da.lacounty.gov

Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Awarded $1.5 Million Grant for DUI Training and Prosecution

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) — through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — has awarded a $1.5 million grant to the District Attorney’s Office for DUI training and prosecution.

“We remain committed to keeping impaired drivers off the road that saves lives and improves public safety,” District Attorney Gascón said. “This grant will go a long way in advancing our goal to reducing alcohol and drug-related fatalities and injuries.”

Since 2016, the District Attorney’s Office has taken a leadership role in training local law enforcement personnel and deputy district attorneys to investigate and prosecute cases involving alcohol and drug-related traffic offenses.

The DUI Training and Prosecution Section (DTAPS) was implemented to further the goals of preventing impaired driving and reducing alcohol and drug-related fatalities and injuries.

The funding from OTS has and will continue to improve the training tools and resources used to work with police agencies and increase the number of officers who are certified Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) in Los Angeles County.

DREs are in a unique position to articulate the effects of impairment caused by the various drug categories and they can determine if someone was impaired by drugs, alcohol or a combination of the two while driving.  Their testimony in DUI drug cases is an invaluable asset in the effort to deter drug-impaired driving.

As part of this grant, OTS will partially fund a DRE through the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation. While working in DTAPS, the DRE will be made available to all deputy district attorneys for DUI-related issues.