Taylor Town Council Ratifies DUI Task Force Agreement

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By Naomi Hatch
    Snowflake-Taylor Police Chief Jerry VanWinkle was complimented by Taylor Town Manager Eric Duthie last week for making sure that the town council is aware of what is going on with his department.
    Chief VanWinkle went before the Snowflake Town Council Dec. 8, and the council unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Department of Public Safety for a DUI Task Force.  
    Duthie explained to the Taylor Council that this is a joint Snowflake-Taylor Police Department, but authorization comes from the Town of Snowflake.  “If you approve this, you are ratifying what has been technically approved, but it is a big step in making sure the Town of Taylor is involved in all of it,” he said.
    Chief VanWinkle explained that DPS writes the grant application and is the grant manager for a state funded DUI task force, which has been awarded funds for the purpose of paying overtime money to agencies participating in the DUI Enforcement Program. He was requesting approval to enter into an agreement between the state, acting by and through DPS, and the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department.
    He explained that STPD would be required to collect statistics and keep a record of any DUI enforcement detail held in its jurisdiction.  He said this gives extra money to officers because they must be off duty to participate in the task force, and then they are paid through the grant.
    Chief VanWinkle said they do such things as sobriety checkpoints or saturated patrol.  “It’s very effective.  We’re asking that we continue this program,” he said.
    He noted that recently they stopped a vehicle and solved a burglary before it was reported. There was more than $250 in copper wire in the truck they stopped, and in a related search of a hotel room, they recovered a lot of methamphetamine.  “This happens on a regular basis, not just in our community, in other communities as well,” said the chief.
    The council unanimously approved the agreement, and thanked Chief VanWinkle for attending council meetings and keeping the council updated on the police department.