GSP sees increase in cases of drinking and driving

GAINESVILLE - The Field Operations Commander for the Georgia State Patrol said Tuesday there has been an increase in the number of cases of drinking and driving in the state since the recession set in.

Maj. Mark McDonough spoke to the Gainesville Kiwanis Club at its annual law enforcement awards program at which the John W. Jacobs, Sr., Memorial Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were handed out.

Maj. McDonough said the recession and tough times are causing alcohol sales to go up.

"With hard times, more people are drinking, so more people are drinking and driving and that's where we place our emphasis, DUI enforcement," Maj. McDonough said.

Gainesville Police investigator Daniel Schrader, Hall County Sheriff's deputy Anna Marisa Smith, Georgia State Trooper Brodie Forrester and State DNR Sgt. Mike Burgamy are the winners of this year's awards.

This is a way, through the Kiwanis Club, we can recognize all the community's law enforcement agencies for all the work they do throughout the year," said Ricky Rich, longtime Kiwanis Club member who is Special Operations Director for the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.