Dodge Sheriff Gets Second Grant | News

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a second grant from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). 

The GOHS announced last week that the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office will receive $20,000 grant to help administer the South Central Traffic Enforcement Network (SCTEN) of the GOHS. 

The network covers forty four (44) law enforcement agencies in twelve (12) counties including: Dodge, Bleckley, Telfair, Wheeler, Montgomery, Toombs, Treutlen, Johnson, Emanuel, Laurens, Washington, and Wilkinson Counties.

The grant funds will be used to conduct monthly training.  Funds will also be used to purchase equipment such as flashlights, alcohol breath testing instruments, traffic safety vests, etc.  Funds will also be used maintain the Network’s mobile enforcement trailer over the next year which contains a state certified intoximeter, a holding cell, and work area for officers conducting highway safety checks.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office will receive equipment and training from the GOHS through the network. 

Sheriff Jeff Hinson said, “These funds will greatly enhance public safety by providing Dodge Deputies and other officers in the Network with necessary equipment in order to continue saving lives.  The Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety since 2009 to enhance public safety on our roadways. 

Dodge County went from record high of seven (7) fatalities and three hundred eight (308) in wrecks in 2008 to zero (0) fatalities and just one hundred sixty three (163) wrecks in 2009.  One of Dodge County’s Deputies now helps lead the Network as the Assistant Coordinator, which also helps our county obtain additional help.”

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office received a $10,000 GOHS Small Agency Incentive Grant several weeks earlier which will be used exclusively to purchase equipment for the Sheriff’s Office.