Grant money to help combat drinking, driving

The White House Police Department was recently awarded a grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation for $19,992 as a part of alcohol countermeasures.

Sumner County, as a whole, received more than $160,000 in grant money with most of the money going toward high visibility enforcement of traffic laws.

The grant given to the WHPD is a measure of assistance from TDOT to keep White House safe from the dangers of driving while intoxicated. The State of Tennessee as a whole has brought out a new ad campaign within the last year putting more focus on stopping those who are driving while intoxicated.

White House Police Chief Pat Brady was thrilled to see the nearly $20,000 grant come in from TDOT.

“We are excited to use this $20,000 to step up our alcohol countermeasures as well as our ability to catch those driving under the influence,” Brady said about the grant. “We have several plans in place to use this money to help make White House a safer city.”

Sumner County currently ranks as one of the lowest counties in Tennessee per capita for THP-issued DUI arrests.

In 2012, there were 29 THP-issued DUI arrests, making last year the second consecutive year that the county stayed at 30 THP-issued DUI arrests or below.

“Our goal at the White House Police Department is to keep our citizens safe,” Brady said. “We are worried about public safety issues and want to make sure that White House is a safe place to live and to travel.”

For more information on TDOT’s grant program, including a list of every county’s grant money allocated, please visit http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/ghso/pdf/GHSOFY2014GrantAwards.pdf