Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 20, AUGUST 31, 2009, THE ISLANDER
The other side of
Rolling Thunder
I've had a chance to talk to Coun
ty Police Chief Matt Doering since I
wrote my Rolling Thunder editorials.
He wasn't really upset, but he did won
der why I hadn't called him about the
Thunder before I wrote about it.
Now I'm happy to give his side of
the story.
First is the money.
The Rolling Thunder is being paid
for with a federal grant of over $300,000
for which Chief Doering applied. It was
going to be spent for law enforcement
somewhere, so it might as well be at
home in Glynn, was Doering's thought.
After all, Glynn is ranked twelfth
among Georgia comities in traffic fatal
ities, according to the Governor's Office
of Highway Safety (GOHS).
Doering next assured me the only
reason for the Rolling Thunder is to
make the roads safer and that revenue
generation has nothing to do with it.
He also corrected my comment in a
previous Back Talk in which I stated
that it is against Georgia law to use
traffic citations to generate revenue.
It is not illegal, said Doering, "It's just
something I don't believe in doing."
He said that while most drivers are
responsible, law abiding folks, there
are irresponsible people on the streets.
"There's far too many irresponsible
drivers on the road," said Doering,
"And if those people know there is a
risk involved for them to drive, chances
are they won't drive."
He said he's looking for the irre
sponsible drivers, the people who have
defective equipment on their cars, the
folks driving on suspended licenses or
with no license or insurance at all.
"If these people know we're out there,
if they know it's risky for them to drive,
they will think twice about getting
behind the wheel," said Doering.
While police are certainly looking
for people driving under the influence
of alcohol, that's not the main focus of
the Thunder.
"We want to increase the risk for
these people and we want to increase
public awareness that irresponsible
drivers will be caught," said Doering.
"I know the issues with the economy
right now," said Doering, "But my issue
is safety. Most drivers are good, decent
safe drivers. They are not abusive of
the right to drive. My job is to protect
them from the irresponsible drivers by
keeping the irresponsible ones off the
road."
"This is also helping apprehend
people wanted for other crimes," said
Doering.
The Chief pointed out that police
apprehended someone on an outstand
ing warrant for rape and child moles
tation. Apparently the fugitive turned
around as he approached the road
block and tried to drive away, which
always arouses suspicion, and a troop
er gave chase and apprehended him.
"We wouldn't have caught him without
the road block," said Doering.
"This is a good way to take grant
money to make our roads safer," said
Doering. “I
Labor Day crack down
Continued from Page 6
Georgia’s peace officers will join their
traffic enforcement partners from five
bordering states in a major mobiliza
tion effort coordinated by the Georgia
Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
(GOHS) to crack down on impaired
drivers.
“Motorists heading toward any of
the five state fines that Georgia shares
should expect to see a high concentra
tion of law enforcement on our inter
states and roadways,” Dallas said. “Day
and night and on both sides of the state
fine, our highway safety partners will
be conducting sobriety checks to get the
summer’s most dangerous drivers off
the road. From Aug. 30th through Sept.
4th, the flashing red and blue fights of
our Hands Across the Border teams will
blanket the state as a colorful reminder
that drunk driving will not be tolerated
now or ever.”
Each year this campaign creates
an outstanding opportunity for law
enforcement officers from neighbor
ing Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and
North and South Carolina to renew
their commitment to cooperate in their
lifesaving mission.
For eighteen years the highlight of
these media events at Georgia Wel
come Centers has been the traditional
handshake between traffic enforce
ment officers from both sides of the
state fines as they make their annual
Hands Across The Border Pledge to
work together all year long to reduce
crashes, fatalities and serious injuries
on our highways. After the speeches
and media coverage, officers convoy in
blue-light motorcades to the adjoining
states’ visitor centers to repeat their
lifesaving pledge.
This year, the Hands Across The
Border campaign runs concurrent with
the nationwide Labor Day impaired
driving mobilization. In Georgia, it’s
Operation Zero Tolerance. Over the
Limit. Under Arrest. GOHS is also
coordinating the “100 Days Of Sum
mer HEAT” initiative this Labor Day
to raise awareness about the deadly
consequences of speed, aggressive driv
ing, and failure to use safety belts and
child restraints. For more informa
tion about Operation Zero Tolerance,
Hands Across The Border, and the
“100 Days Of Summer HEAT”, visit
the GOHS website at www.gahigh-
waysafety.org □
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