Attorney General Jack Conway today announced that his office is training police officers and local prosecutors about how to effectively prosecute Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases at a regional seminar in Covington, Ky. on Monday, March 31 through Wednesday, April 2 at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 10 E. Rivercenter Blvd. The goal of the training is to create a team-building approach in the detection, apprehension and prosecution of impaired drivers.

“It is crucial that we give prosecutors and police officers the tools they need to effectively enforce our DUI laws and protect the citizens of our Commonwealth,” Conway said. “A team approach is imperative, and I am pleased that we can coordinate this effort that will result in tough consequences for DUI offenders.”

Entitled “Protecting Lives, Saving Futures,” the training is funded through the Kentucky Department of Transportation Safety with grant funds provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Assistance for this training has been provided by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Kentucky State Police, and the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Board. The first regional training of this type was conducted last June in Bowling Green and the second was held in January in Prestonsburg. Additional trainings will be conducted in other parts of the state later this year.

“The Transportation Cabinet is pleased to support the traffic-safety initiatives and training opportunities provided to law enforcement and prosecutors throughout the state,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Prather. “It is not only our responsibility, it is a priority of this administration to provide all highway safety professionals with the tools and resources they need to save and protect lives on our highways.”

Representatives of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) also plan to attend the training.

“MADD commends the Attorney General's office for implementing a Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor program and for making this joint training possible,” said Angela M. Criswell, executive director for MADD Kentucky. “You can have tough laws and tough enforcement, but without tough outcomes in the court system, the public will not get the message that drunk driving is a serious crime.”

The training is presented under the direction of the American Prosecutors Research Institute’s National Traffic Law Center and is open to the media.