Although millions of federal grant dollars flow into Pennsylvania police departments each year for DUI enforcement, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that it's still not enough to cover expenses. The DUI grants are used for DUI checkpoints and other highway safety programs.
That leaves municipalities, already tightening their belts in the recession, to pick up the costs associated with sending officers to court hearings. Their presence ensures, among other things, the ability of prosecutors to better square off against Philadelphia DUI lawyers.
And since federal grants don't cover the costs of having cops show up at the hearings, Monroeville police Chief Doug Cole said, it can put a strain on the justice system:
"I'm all for [the safety programs]. But on the back end, the more people we arrest, the more it costs to prosecute in the court system."
Pennsylvania was able to pull in $11.5 million this year for DUI checkpoints and related traffic-safety checks from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. PennDOT spokesman Rich Kirkpatrick, understanding how this isn't quite enough to cover all costs, said "it's a joint effort."
And while court hearing appearances may not seem like such a big deal, they often require the payment of overtime wages in addition to having other officers fill in their beats while they're away. Monroeville's department spends about $20,000 per month for such costs, according to Doug Cole.
But the attendance of officers at these hearings pays big dividends for the public, Pittsburgh police Sgt. Terry Donnelly said:
"If we have to pay an officer three hours of overtime to go to court, it's still well worth it to prevent an accident."
It may be worthwhile to contact a Philadelphia DUI attorney if you have been charged with driving under the influence.
Related Resources:
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Call a Philadelphia DUI Lawyer (FindLaw)
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What to Expect from a DUI Arrest (FindLaw)
