Henderson County speeders beware. Sheriff Rick Davis along with his Traffic Enforcement Squad are out to cut traffic fatalities and traffic accidents in half.
To do this the Sheriff has been able to purchase squad vehicles, equipment and pay two deputies salaries through grants from the Governors Highway Safety Program which totaled over $185,000.
We applied for two grants over the past year and a half and were able to get $185,000, Davis said.
Davis has also been able to have Deputy Jan Mitchell and Deputy Jason Cordell work exclusively on traffic control.
The Sheriffs Office has been able to purchase a 2007 Dodge Charger and a 2008 Mustang GT with the grant money, Cordell said.
Our number one goal is to reduce fatalities and crashes by fifty percent, Cordell said.
In addition to the vehicles, Cordell and Mitchell have been proactive in their approach by giving speeches and presentations at high schools.
Over the next two months prior to prom season and graduation we will be holding DWI presentations at the local high schools, he said.
Sgt. C.R. Jones with the N.C. Highway Patrol said that the Henderson County Sheriffs Office has been very cooperative with the highway patrol and made an impact in traffic safety.
They have been effective in reducing accidents especially along I-26 and the U.S. 25 connector, Jones said. The secret is team work between the Highway Patrol and the Sheriffs Office.