ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — The Rockdale County Sheriff's Office is losing grant funding to help combat impaired and aggressive driving after one of their deputies was taken into custody, accused of driving drunk.
The Governor's Office of Highway Safety is putting the brakes on its Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic grant for the agency for the new fiscal year, according to a GOHS spokesperson.
"Director Poole will not elaborate on his decision but does want to state the incident on December 5, 2021, that involved three members of the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is not the only factor in his decision to suspend the grant. Director Poole and G.O.H.S. staff are working with the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office to assist in their efforts to address the issues that have led to the suspension of their H.E.A.T. grant," a statement from GOHS reads.
RCSO was one of 17 law enforcement partners selected for the HEAT grant. Records show RCSO was supposed to receive $132,082.24 to help the state reduce the number of impaired driving crashes.
GOHS is retracting the grant as a Rockdale County deputy is facing a DUI charge.
A Georgia State Patrol incident report alleges the deputy tried to take off when a Georgia State trooper attempted to pull him over after he was clocked driving at 130 mph on I-20 West in Atlanta last month. According to the report, there were three others in the car with him – two of which are also deputies with the Sheriff's Office and were also under the influence of alcohol.
RCSO said the deputy is no longer with the agency. The sheriff's office said it has also submitted a correction action plan to reinstate its grant.