Title
District Attorney's Office recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the acceptance of a grant award in the amount of $392,100 from the California Office of Traffic Safety for the Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program for the period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026; and
2) Approve and authorize the District Attorney to execute grant award agreement DI26015, including any amendments or extensions thereof which would not increase net county cost, upon County Counsel review and approval.
FUNDING: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On June 4, 2025, California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) notified the District Attorney’s Office that their grant application for the Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program was approved in the total amount of $392,100, covering the period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The primary focus of the program is to prosecute and investigate alcohol and drug impaired driving cases.
Board approval and acceptance of this grant funding will allow the District Attorney’s Office to continue to effectively investigate and prosecute Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases. The grant will continue fund 1.0 FTE Limited Term Deputy District Attorney, 0.50 FTE District Attorney Investigator, and operating costs associated with program-related travel, training, and minor prosecutorial expenses. There is no cash match requirement under this funding opportunity.
The investigation and prosecution of DUI charges have historically absorbed a great number of resources in the District Attorney's Office due to the number of offenses within El Dorado County. The concurrent use of alcohol and other impairing substances is a particularly acute problem for younger drivers in our County. For this reason, there is a great need to commit additional resources to assist our office to maintain a robust DUI vertical prosecution and training program, and to coordinate with programs aimed at youthful offenders.
The District Attorney's Office has implemented many programs pursuant to the California OTS, Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program grants, which includes community awareness programs, DUI checkpoints, and the prosecution of DUI offenses. The program assigned Deputy District Attorney will not only continue to vertically prosecute all felony DUI cases but will also attend available training events to facilitate additional training to local law enforcement agencies and less experienced prosecutors who are assigned to misdemeanor DUI cases.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board opt not to approve the acceptance of the OTS Grant Agreement, the County would be ineligible to participate in the program.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
09/24/24 Legistar Item 24-1539 - Board approved the acceptance of the California OTS, Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program Grant Agreement DI25002, to fund the prosecution of alcohol and drug impaired driving cases for the period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025 in the amount of $388,354 and execute resolution 157-2024, extending the Deputy District Attorney-Limited Term position one year.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost. This grant carries no County match requirement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Vern Pierson, District Attorney