Borough gets state help with drunken driving fight

Municipal to crack down on drunken driving.

By: Melissa Hayes
   JAMESBURG — Borough residents may have noticed more patrol cars on the road over the holiday season.
   That’s because a $5,000 grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety was awarded to the Jamesburg Police Department to crack down on drunken driving.
   "Of the 25 municipalities in Middlesex County, they selected 10," Police Chief David Lester said. "They actually selected me as one of the 10 towns in Middlesex County."
   Chief Lester said the department received the "You Drink & Drive. YOU LOSE. 2004 Holiday Enforcement Grant," which helped increase DWI enforcement from Nov. 22 to Jan. 2.
   "It provided $5,000 for up to 100 hours of officer patrol in the borough," Chief Lester said.
   He said he used the grant to provide two extra police officers on the road, although some nights he only had one additional officer. One night he was able to add three extra officers. These officers were in addition to the regular patrols and were on special assignment under the grant.
   He said the police department has always been very cooperative with the Division of Highway Traffic Safety and he feels that is why they were chosen to receive the grant.
   "In the past we’ve done seat belt enforcement (for the division) when requested to," he said.
   In addition to the Division of Highway Traffic Safety grant, the department also receives grant money through the state Drunk Driving Enforcement Fund.
   He said the grant is funded through a state bottle tax and divided between police departments.
   Chief Lester said that in addition to the annual funding from the DDEF, the department receives money from the fund depending on how many DWI arrests they make throughout the year.
   "I believe for every conviction there’s $100 that goes to the borough through the DDEF."
   Quoting the Division of Highway Traffic Safety, Chief Lester said, "Impaired drivers kill nearly 18,000 people per year. In New Jersey, 33 percent of traffic fatalities are alcohol related."
   Borough Councilwoman Barbara Carpenter, who served as police commissioner last year, said she was very proud of the department.
   "The Police Department is very proactive with residents," she said.