A chill must have gone up failed Santa Ana Mayoral candidate Alfredo Amezcua’s spine this morning when he cracked open the newspaper and found out that “Federal and state authorities charged 99 alleged Orange County gang members with crimes including murder, drug trafficking and extortion, at least half or whom were associated with the Mexican Mafia prison gang,” according to NPR. Continue reading
Santa Ana Police Department
The 4th of July weekend will be upon us soon. Both the Santa Ana Police and Fire Departments are again strongly urging the public to refrain from the use of illegal fireworks.
Violators to the City’s Municipal Code on fireworks may receive a citation for possessing illegal fireworks, or even misusing or tampering with legal ones.
Police Officers, Firefighters, and volunteers will be working together to look out for illegal fireworks over the July 4th weekend. The patrols will focus on high-activity illegal fireworks areas as well as education.
Santa Ana legal firework sales will take place over the course of the weekend.
To report illegal fireworks please call 714-834-4211.
SANTA ANA FIREWORKS REGULATIONS
SAMC Chapter 14
SECTION 14-51. “DANGEROUS FIREWORKS” DEFINED.
For purposes of this article “dangerous fireworks” shall mean “dangerous fireworks” as defined in the State Fireworks laws and the regulations of the State Fire Marshal adopted pursuant thereto, as they may from time to time be amended.
SECTION 14-52. “SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS” DEFINED.
For purposes of this article “safe and sane fireworks” shall mean “safe and sane fireworks” as defined in the State Fireworks Law and the regulations of the State Fire Marshal adopted pursuant thereto, as they may from time to time be amended.
SECTION 14-53. DANGEROUS FIREWORKS PROHIBITED.
No person, firm, or organization shall manufacture, store, display, sell, offer for sale, possess, discharge, explode, fire, or set off any dangerous fireworks within the City of Santa Ana.
SECTION 14-54. DISCHARGING SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS.
No person shall discharge any safe and sane fireworks except on the days that sales are permitted each year as set forth in Section 14-55 below.
SECTION 14-55. SALE OF SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS.
No person shall display, sell, or engage in the business of selling safe and sane fireworks without first having obtained a permit to do so as hereinafter provided. No person shall sell any type of fireworks at any time except from 12:00 noon through 10:00 p.m. on July 1 and from 9:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. on July 2, 3 and 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on July 4.
SECTION 14-56. PERMITS, ISSUANCE.
(a) Permits for the sale of safe and sane fireworks shall be issued only to bona fide non-profit
organizations as recognized by the State of California organized for charitable, fraternal, patriotic service or religious purposes with their principal and permanent meeting place within the City of Santa Ana, and at least fifty (50) percent of the members residing within the City limits. (b) Permits for the sale of safe and sane fireworks shall limit each sponsoring organization to a single location in any given year. (c) Such permit shall expire. on July 4th at 8:00 pm of the year it was issued
SECTION 14-59. SALE OF SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS.
It shall be unlawful for any person to sell safe and sane fireworks to anyone less than eighteen (18) years of age.
SECTION 14-77. SEIZURE OF FIREWORKS.
The Fire Chief shall seize, take, remove, or cause to be removed, at the expense of the owner, all stocks of fireworks offered or exposed for sale, or held in violation of these articles.
SECTION 14-78. PROHIBITED AREAS.
No persons shall sell, store, display, or discharge any fireworks of any type in any public oil or gasoline station, or on any premises where gasoline or other inflammable liquids are stored or dispensed. No person shall sell, store, display, or discharge any fireworks of any type in any permanent structure, nor within forty (40) feet of the same, except that any purchaser may discharge fireworks in conformance with these regulations in front of his own residence.
SECTION 14-79. DISCHARGE OF FIREWORKS.
No person shall throw, lob, toss, shoot or otherwise discharge any fireworks toward any other person or in any other manner which threatens the safety of persons or property.
The Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce is hosting their July Business Connection Luncheon on Thursday, July 7, from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, at the South Coast Winery Restaurant, located at 3608 S. Bristol, in Santa Ana.
Speaker: Santa Ana Police Department Officer Tom Serafin
Topic: “Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League”
In order to combat gang violence, resist the temptation of joining criminal street gangs, and encourage youths to stay in school, the Santa Ana Police Department has formed the Santa Ana Police Athletic Activity League (SAPAAL). SAPAAL is a crime prevention program that employs educational, athletic, and recreational activities to create trust and understanding between youths and law enforcement.
Police officers coaching, tutoring and mentoring demonstrate to youths that officers are truly interested in their development and well-being. The Santa Ana Police Department implemented SAPAAL to develop a new community resource program focused on reducing gang violence. Studies show that youths who are involved in supervised extracurricular activities are significantly less likely to participate in high-risk illegal behavior.
SAPAAL is a proactive, long-term strategy designed not only to meet the goal of reducing street violence, but also to provide youths with the opportunity to build a successful future.
July showcased businesses will include CommAlliance (Jan Murray) and Advanced Office Services (Tony Napoli).
Thanks to our door prize donors in June: Women Helping Women (Trina) and Office Depot (Nancy Sciortino).
To reserve your seat, click here.
Santa Ana Police Department
CITIZEN ALERT
SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT
The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, May 27th, 2011. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:00AM. It will be conducted in the area of 900 W 1st Street, in the City of Santa Ana.
In an effort to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes, DUI checkpoints are conducted to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI/Drivers License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver’s license. A major component of these checkpoints is to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and to encourage sober designated drivers.
A DUI checkpoint is a proven effective method for achieving this goal. By publicizing these enforcement and education efforts, the Santa Ana Police Department believes motorists can be deterred from drinking and driving.
Traffic volume and weather permitting, all vehicles may be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs will be arrested. Our objective is to send a clear message to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and/or drugs – Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest. The public is encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 911 if they see a suspected impaired driver. Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Contact Information:
Contact Name: Officer W. Hadley
Contact Email: whadley@santa-ana.org
Contact Phone: (714) 245-8216
Violent crime fell in Santa Ana last year, according to the new FBI Uniform Crime Report. In fact the new crime figures show that robberies, aggravated assaults, property crimes, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts all went down in Santa Ana last year.
Violent crimes rates were higher last year in several California cities with comparable populations, including Bakersfield, Long Beach, Oakland and Sacramento, as you can see in the chart above.
Forensic science colleges are an option for people who want to learn the skills they would need to help the police to solve crimes. People who search for answers and want to solve problems are good candidates to start forensics careers and help their communities.
Kudos to the SAPD and Police Chief/Interim City Manager Paul Walters for reducing crime while dealing with budget cuts and the economic crisis.
Incidentally, the SAPD is holding their annual Employee Recognition and Awards Ceremony tomorrow night, on May 25, from 6:30 pm to 9 pm, at the Doubletree Hotel, located at 201 East MacArthur Bl., in Santa Ana. Kudos to all the men and women who work hard to keep us safe here in Santa Ana!
The City of Santa Ana’s Public Safety Committee meeting, on Tuesday, May 24, promises to be an interesting one – with activists coming to the meeting to talk about illegal bail bond solicitation at the O.C. jail, medical marijuana sales in northeast Santa Ana, and the seizure of cars driven by immigrants, at SAPD DUI checkpoints.
Medical marijuana is not on the agenda for the meeting, but it sounds like activists are going to try to talk about it anyway, from what I have read in blog comments this week.
A Facebook group is prodding their members to go to this meeting to speak up about seizure of immigrants’ cars at SAPD DUI checkpoints. See the video above. Here is what they posted on Facebook:
We demand that the City of Santa Ana stops targeting unlicensed drivers. Safe drivers are denied the possibility of applying for licenses and are routinely stripped of their vehicles at traffic stops. We want to see the leadership in Santa Ana end these practices.
The bail bond solicitation issue is one we have previously addressed here on this blog. Out of town bail bond agents are breaking the law by soliciting bail bonds on city sidewalks outside of the O.C. Jail and the City and the SAPD have refused to do anything about this. The O.C. District Attorney recently pressed charges against eight individuals for illegal bail bond solicitation in the O.C. Jail.
Here is the meeting agenda:
CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENDA
May 24, 2011, 5:30 P.M.
Santa Ana Police Department
60 Civic Center Plaza, Community Room
Santa Ana, California
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL Councilmembers: ALVAREZ, BENAVIDES, TINAJERO
City Manager, City Attorney
AGENDA ITEMS
1. Approval of Minutes – Meeting of March 22, 2011
2. Impound Policy – Chief Walters
3. Building Healthy Communities – Chief Walters
4. Security/Firewatch for the Saddleback Inn – Fire Chief Thomas
5. Downtown Dance Ordinance – Chief Walters
6. Bail Bond Solicitation – Teresa Judd
7. Public Comments*
8. Committee Member Comments
9. Items for Next Meeting
10. Next Meeting Date – July 26 , 2011, 5:30 PM, Santa Ana Police Facility, 60 Civic Center Plaza, 4th Floor Conference Room, Santa Ana, California
ADJOURNMENT
*NOTE: Members of the public are allowed three minutes to speak on each agenda item.
The so-called “Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government” ripped the Santa Ana City Council and Santa Ana Police Department Chief Paul Walters today, in a mass email that questioned how much Walters will get paid as interim Santa Ana City Manager (see the graphic above or click here).
The Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government is registered as a Political Action Committee. It is run by two Republicans, John Acosta and Art Lomeli, who do not live in Santa Ana.
Walters’ team responded to the mass email thusly:
Double-dipping: Paul is not double-dipping. About 6 years ago, he actually did retire and the city asked him to come back temporarily on a contract basis to groom one of the deputy chiefs to take over his position. During the process, the deputy chief, Dan McCoy, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and subsequently died. The next in line was Bruce Carlson, who was eventually diagnosed with and succumbed to liver cancer. Since there was no one else the city felt comfortable with as chief, they asked Paul to un-retire, which he did.
Actually, it will cost the City of Santa Ana less money for Walters to serve as both Interim City Manager and Chief of the SAPD. It would cost quite a bit more to pay two people to do those jobs.
The truth is that the Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government is just a mouthpiece for failed Santa Ana Mayoral candidate Al Amezcua. He dislikes Walters because Amezcua makes a living defending drug dealers and gang bangers in court – while Walters and his department do their best to arrest these people.
I also found it interesting that the Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government’s latest email also focused on Code Enforcement – a tool often used in the past by Santa Ana’s dwindling white minority to make life tough for their Latino neighbors.
Santa Ana Police Department Case Alert
Gang Detectives Arrest 5 Individuals for Homicide
On Friday, 5/6/11, at about 2249 hours officers were dispatched to 900 W. Highland St. regarding an assault in-progress. Responding officers located an adult male victim with severe blunt-object injuries and stab wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries. The incident appeared to be gang related and the motive was gang rivalry.
On 5/8/11, medical staff notified SAPD that the victim had suffered irreversible cessation of brain stem activity as a result of his injuries and the incident was considered a homicide.
On 5/9/11, SAPD Gang Homicide Unit Detectives and Patrol Officers arrested five suspects involved in the incident and booked them on murder and additional gang related charges.
On 5/13/11, at about 0600 hours the victim was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Victim: Abin Humberto Delgado, age 20, of Santa Ana.
Suspects/Arrested and Charged:
1. Juvenile (17)
2. Juvenile (17)
3. Juvenile (17)
4. Najera, Johnny (18)
5. Solorzano, Fernando (18)
All suspects are Santa Ana residents. All juveniles were charged as adults. The investigation is on-going and photographs of the suspects are not available.
The Santa Ana Police Department is offering monetary rewards for information leading to the arrest of gang homicide or felony gang assault suspects. If you have information about any gang homicide or felony gang assault suspects, please call (714) 245-8648.
Contact Information
Contact Name: Gang Investigations
Contact Phone: 714-245-8648
SANTA ANA POLICE DEPARTMENT
NEWS RELEASE: Date: 05/12/11
Contact: Cpl Anthony Bertagna, Office (714) 245-8029, Cell (714) 709-2043
The United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California honors Santa Ana Police Department Detectives at their Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony
Santa Ana Police Department Career Criminal Unit Detectives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, recognized for integrity, commitment and outstanding service.
Summary of Investigation and Prosecution:
The Bishop Manor Condominium Complex (an area housing over 1,300 residents) was a long troubled community in the City of Santa Ana that required a disproportionate level of police and city services. Of particular problems in the area were gang activity and narcotics trafficking by the Minnie Street Lopers Street Gang. In 2008, the Santa Ana Gang Task Force, comprised of Santa Ana Police Department Career Criminal Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, targeted this area to eliminate these problems within the Bishop Manor Complex.
As a result of the investigation which utilized Title III intercepts, confidential informant buys and undercover agent buys, the US Attorney’s Office in October 2008 charged 22 defendants in six separate indictments with narcotics trafficking and firearms violations. The defendants received significant sentences, many more than ten years, with one defendant receiving a 20-year sentence due to his extensive criminal history. Only two defendants remain and are set for trial in September 2011.
In addition, the investigation is credited with resolving two outstanding murders in the Bishop Manor Complex and with the significant decrease in crime in the area. The partnering of local and federal law enforcement made a dramatic difference in this area of Orange County and it is due directly to the work of the 12 agents.
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The O.C. May Day Coalition is going to rally and protest again on Monday, May 2, at 5pm, at the next Santa Ana City Council meeting, after marching today in Santa Ana. The meeting will be held at 60 Civic Center Plaza, at the “Police Community Room.”
The rally will be primarily about stopping the SAPD DUI checkpoints, which rarely ever result in arrests of drunk drivers. Instead the SAPD use the checkpoints to take cars away from immigrants.
Mike Gonzalez, a district director for League of United Latin American Citizens immigrant councils, brought a dummy — intended to represent President Barack Obama — to the march at the Plaza of the Flags at 700 W. Civic Center, according to the O.C. Register. Gonzalez has also indicated that he is considering running against Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez next year, according to one of my sources.
Here is the statement that the OC May Day Coalition posted on Facebook:
“May Day March in Santa Ana! OC May Day Coalition * Sanctuary City and Solidarity Statement 2011. We stand together under the same sun to proclaim, “Another world without borders is possible.” We stand in solidarity with workers around the globe to celebrate the international Labor Day on May 1st, 2011, the anniversary of workers’ struggles in the Chicago of 1886. Much like the workers who struck for an 8-hour work day, we are a coalition of people from many industries, cultures and nationalities.
We demand full legalization for all global workers in the U.S. Accordingly, we want an end to all policies that criminalize migration. Specifically, the City of Santa Ana notoriously targets unlicensed drivers. Safe drivers denied the possibility of applying for licenses are routinely stripped of their vehicles at traffic stops. We want to see the leadership in Santa Ana end these practices and declare itself a Sanctuary City.
We demand the restoration of families split up by immigration sweeps. We demand an end to the criminalization of people looking for work. Specifically, the Cities of Orange and Costa Mesa have passed anti-day laborer ordinances (9.37 and 10-354, respectively) with the intent of targeting and denying people of color, often times migrants, access to the economy.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Arizona in resistance against recent racist policies, such as SB1070 and the elimination of Ethnic Studies.
We oppose all racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic, and Islamophobic attacks against our community. We are especially concerned about recent attacks this year against Muslims in Yorba Linda and Villa Park.
We want legalization of all students. We demand passage of the DREAM Act for all students to be able to graduate and find gainful employment.
We want strong, democratic, participatory labor unions. We stand in solidarity with workers defending their rights to collective bargaining in Wisconsin and throughout the country.
We stand in solidarity with municipal workers in Costa Mesa recently faced with severe cut-backs.
We want to bring the troops home. We want to end the wars of aggression and occupations in order to fully fund our own education and infrastructure.
We want green, environmentally sound jobs that pay living wages. We support the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ campaign for fair food in Trader Joe’s. We join in their demand 1 penny more for pound for tomato pickers and an end to slavery in the fields.
Santa Ana Police Department
CITIZEN ALERT
Traffic Advisory – OC Marathon
The OC Marathon will take place in the City of Santa Ana this Sunday, May 1st. There will be substantial traffic impacts in the south end of the City during the Marathon. Road Closures will take place on Sunday, May 1st from 5:30 AM to approximately 1:30 PM.
Please visit the OC Marathon Webpage and click on the Road Closure Tab for specific details or contact PCSS Mike McCoy with the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8718 or the OC Marathon Road Closure Hotline at 949-222-9888. Please plan ahead as you will experience traffic delays
Contact Name: PCSS Mike McCoy
Contact Email: mmccoy@santa-ana.org
Contact Phone: 714-245-8718
UPDATE: Andy Verostek, an artist at the Santora, has written a post about the allegations by the Grrl Fair collective that an artist at the Santora harassed a number of them at their recent event. Click here to read his account, which clearly debunks the allegations made by the OC Weekly.
“Organizers of this year’s Grrl Fair collective,the county’s decade-old celebration of all things womyn, are planning a protest May 7 in SanTana’s Artists Village during its next Art Walk,” according to the OC Weekly. You can also read about it over at the Orange Juice blog.
The OC Weekly article explains that “They claim that during their March 12 Grrl Fair in downtown SanTana, an artist in the Santora Building constantly groped underage girls, and that Santora management (under the rule of mega-developer Mike Harrah), artists, and the city’s police department have not bothered with their pleas for action.”
Protesting the Art Walk and ripping Mike Harrah, who owns the Santora Building, is ridiculous. Harrah cannot do anything about this. It is a police matter, but the police cannot do anything either. The comments left by readers indicate that the reason the SAPD has not opened an investigation is that none of those making allegations have been willing to put their name on a formal police report. No names – no report. That is how this works.
Until the women who were groped actually file police reports, nothing is going to happen. This planned protest is just going to hurt innocent artists who had nothing to do with any of this.
There are allegations that the artists knew beforehand that they had a pervy guy in their midst. If true, the question is – what could they have done? I have seen all sorts of pervy guys at the Art Walks – including a bunch of local politicians known for cheating on their wives.
This incident however does open up a can of worms for the Art Walk in that there are also allegations that the alleged groper was very drunk. The fact is that many of the art galleries serve alcohol during the Art Walk, and even those that don’t serve it often have liquor on hand for the artists themselves. Should this tradition continue? Or should we leave the alcohol service to the bars and restaurants in the Artists Village? I am told that the Santa Ana Planning Commission is going to look into this.
The SAPD is once again going to inconvenience Santa Ana residents while cracking down on innocent folks out cruising on Easter and Cinco de Mayo.
If Santa Ana’s city leaders were smart about this they would charge folks to see the cruising, as folks in Long Beach do with their annual Grand Prix…
See their press release below:
Santa Ana Police Department
CITIZEN ALERT
Traffic Operations For Easter and Cinco de Mayo.
In an effort to provide a safe environment and minimize the impact on our local neighborhoods, the Santa Ana Police Department will be deploying extra police personnel to deal with the influx of cruiser activity experienced on Easter (Sunday, April 24th) and Cinco de Mayo (Thursday, May 5th). In years past, the City of Santa Ana has contended with large crowds, congested roadways, criminal activity, and quality of life issues that affect our residents, businesses and visitors. Therefore, to mitigate these issues, an increased police presence, lane restrictions and road closures will be in effect in the areas of Bristol Street from 17th Street to Callen’s Common, Main Street from 17th Street to Dyer Road, and Edinger Avenue from Main Street to Raitt Street. Residents, motorist, and visitors should expect traffic delays and make an effort to avoid these areas whenever possible. Residents are encouraged to report any significant or ongoing criminal activity occurring on these two evenings to the Santa Ana Police Department at (714) 245-8049. Any questions regarding these enforcement programs may be directed to Corporal Wharton at (714) 245-8209.
Contact Information
Contact Name: Corporal Wharton
Contact Email: mwharton@ci.santa-ana.org
Contact Phone: (714) 245-8209
The SAPD is going to be conducting another DUI checkpoint on Friday, April 15. They are being honest about the fact that their real goal is to take cars away from undocumented immigrants. See their press release below:
Santa Ana Police Department
CITIZEN ALERT: SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT
The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, April 15th, 2011. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:00AM. It will be conducted in the area of 1500 E. McFadden Avenue.
In an effort to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes, DUI checkpoints are conducted to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI/Drivers License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver’s license. A major component of these checkpoints is to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and to encourage sober designated drivers.
A DUI checkpoint is a proven effective method for achieving this goal. By publicizing these enforcement and education efforts, the Santa Ana Police Department believes motorists can be deterred from drinking and driving.
Traffic volume and weather permitting, all vehicles may be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs will be arrested. Our objective is to send a clear message to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and/or drugs – Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest. The public is encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 911 if they see a suspected impaired driver. Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Contact Information
Contact Name: Officer W. Hadley Contact Name:
Contact Email: whadley@santa-ana.org
Contact Phone: (714) 245-8216 Contact Phone:
The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, March 26th, 2011. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:00AM. It will be conducted in the area of 3500 W 5th Street, according to the SAPD Citizen Observer website.
My own research indicates that these checkpoints actually do little to stop DUIs. In reality the SAPD uses these checkpoints to seize cars from undocumented immigrants – then they force them to pay hundreds of dollars to get their cars back.
I also found that the DUI checkpoints are never conducted in north and south Santa Ana – only in the Latino middle.
The DUI checkpoints are paid for by state grants. Local cops love them because they make a fortune working overtime.
Here is how the SAPD explains the reason they do the DUI checkpoints.
In an effort to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes, DUI checkpoints are conducted to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI/Drivers License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver’s license. A major component of these checkpoints is to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and to encourage sober designated drivers.
A DUI checkpoint is a proven effective method for achieving this goal. By publicizing these enforcement and education efforts, the Santa Ana Police Department believes motorists can be deterred from drinking and driving.
Traffic volume and weather permitting, all vehicles may be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs will be arrested. Our objective is to send a clear message to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and/or drugs – Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest. The public is encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 911 if they see a suspected impaired driver. Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.