Office of the Attorney General
Attorney General Conway Announces Regional DUI Training

Attorney General Jack Conway today announced that his office is training police officers and local prosecutors about how to effectively prosecute DUI cases at a regional seminar on Monday, March 9 through Wednesday, March 11 at the Marriott Louisville Downtown Hotel, 230 West Jefferson St.  The goal of the training is to create a team-building approach in the detection, apprehension and prosecution of impaired drivers.

 “It is crucial that we give prosecutors and police officers the tools they need to effectively enforce our DUI laws and protect the citizens of our Commonwealth,” Conway said.  “A team approach is imperative, and I am pleased that we can coordinate this effort that will result in tough consequences for DUI offenders.”

Entitled “Protecting Lives, Saving Futures,” the training is funded through the Kentucky Department of Transportation Safety with grant funds provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  Assistance for this training has been provided by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Kentucky State Police, and the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Board.  Additional trainings will be conducted in other parts of the state later this year. 

“The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety is proud of our continued partnership with the Office of the Attorney General to provide funding in support of the Commonwealth’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor.  Robert Stokes has done an exceptional job in conducting training workshops and coordinating training opportunities for law enforcement officers and prosecutors throughout the Commonwealth,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Prather, the governor’s representative for highway safety.  “It is not only our responsibility, it is a priority of this administration to provide all highway safety professionals with the tools and resources they need to save and protect lives on our highways.”

Representatives of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) also plan to attend the training.
 
“MADD commends the Attorney General's office for implementing a Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor program and for making this joint training possible,” said Angela M. Criswell, executive director for MADD Kentucky.  “You can have tough laws and tough enforcement, but without tough outcomes in the court system, the public will not get the message that drunk driving is a serious crime.  With trainings such as this, law enforcement and prosecutors can learn together how to ensure the criminal justice systems addresses DUI charges rigorously, consistently, and effectively.”

The training is presented under the direction of the American Prosecutors Research Institute’s (APRI) National Traffic Law Center and is open to the media.