Fayette County DUI court gets state grant

Fayette County’s DUI Court relies on grants to operate programs for drug and alcohol offenders. Courtesy Fayette DUI Court

Fayette County’s DUI Court relies on grants to operate programs for drug and alcohol offenders. Courtesy Fayette DUI Court

Fayette County has accepted a $14,030 grant for its DUI Court and also authorized spending $1,558 of local matching funds for court operations.

The Board of Commissioners approved the request 5-0 on Jan. 10. The court, which offers alternative sentencing for individuals who have had two DUIs in five years or three DUIs in a lifetime, does not receive county funding. The most recent award from the state Criminal Justice Coordinating Council is one of two main grants it receives annually. Of that total, $9,030 will be used for surveillance officers and $5,000 will be used to provide transportation for program participants who are habitual violators.

Fayette’s DUI Court was established in 2016 under the direction of Judge Jason Thompson to help facilitate treatment services and prevent offender relapses.