To: Board of Supervisors
From: Diana Becton, District Attorney
Report Title: California Office of Traffic Safety Grant Application
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the District Attorney, or designee, to apply for and accept the California Office of Traffic Safety grant in an amount not to exceed $1,240,000, for a specialized team to prosecute alcohol and drug impaired driving cases for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
County will receive up to $1,240,000 over the grant period. No match is required.
BACKGROUND:
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office seeks Board approval to apply for and accept the California Office of Traffic Safety grant. If awarded, the District Attorney's Office will assign a specialized DUI vertical prosecution team to prosecute alcohol and drug impaired driving cases. The DUI vertical prosecution team will handle cases throughout each step of the criminal process. Prosecution team members will work to increase the capabilities of the team and the office by obtaining and delivering specialized training. Team members will share information with peers and law enforcement personnel throughout the county and across the state. The office will accomplish these objectives as a means to prevent impaired driving and reduce alcohol and drug-involved traffic fatalities and injuries.
In addition, by implementing the vertical prosecutor model, the District Attorney's Office will provide aggressive and sustainable prosecution to hold offenders accountable, conduct effective community outreach on preventable activities and engage in broader public education through the Office’s podcast, The Cross-Examination, the Community Academy and other platforms to deter driving under the influence in Contra Costa County.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If unapproved, the District Attorney's Office will be unable to apply for and accept the grant.