Sac State Police Participate in County "Avoid" Campaign

As it gears up for this year’s Avoid the Capital 15, the Sacramento State Police Department received recognition for its part in the 2008 local anti-DUI campaign. As participants, University police officers work with local police agencies to raise awareness of the problems associated with drinking and driving and to coordinate and host enforcement operations.

The University Police Department sponsors two events per year in conjunction with the campaign, typically around occasions when underage drinking, and driving under the influence are more likely to occur. For instance, in preparation for the annual Causeway Classic football game, the department works closely with the campus Alcohol Advisory Council to educate students about laws related to the consumption of alcohol by minors and the hazards of driving under the influence. Other activities include increased DUI checkpoints around campus and “decoy” operations at nearby retail alcohol establishments.

The AVOID anti-DUI program, funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, was launched in 1973 to bring law enforcement agencies together in countywide clusters to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by alcohol related accidents. Funding allows agencies to cover overtime and reassignment of officers, and to conduct awareness campaigns during the enforcement periods.

The numbers associated with the Avoid campaigns refer to the number of agencies in a county. Sacramento County encompasses 15 agencies, hence “Avoid the 15.”