Who We Are - Overview

18 June 2001 - East County Californian
Local law enforcement raises a message

By Michael Marizco

They arrived in their individual units, but on a hot, dry Monday morning, these law enforcement officials met alongside Jamacha Rd and Hwy. 94 in a show of solidarity against a common enemy, drunken drivers.

They came from the Highway Patrol, the Sheriff’s Office in Alpine, the Board of Supervisors, the La Mesa and El Cajon Police Departments, and the Border Patrol, and five of their representatives were displayed on the billboard over their heads. They are: Steve Lopez of the CHP, Robert Berger of the El Cajon Police, J.T. Faulkner of the Sheriff’s Department, Brian Stoney from the La Mesa Police Department, and Jimmie Garcia from the U.S. Border Patrol.

Calling Lieutenant Linda Fulton, station commander of the Alpine Sheriff’s station, the spearhead behind the campaign, Captain Steve Lykins of the CHP commented on some of the reasons why law enforcement started the billboard campaign.

We’ve seen DUI accidents cut almost in half in East County in the last years, but we still had over a hundred killed at last count.”

In a closer perspective, CHP officer Linda Flores commented on her duty as a traffic officer. Flores was Lopez’ partner when they worked the graveyard shift along this busy stretch of the county’s highways.

With her four-year-old daughter hugging her leg, she commented on the amount of drivers who drive drunk and get caught.

“If you’re out there looking you’ll find them,” she said, “when they’re unsteady, driving poorly, that’s when you pull them over. And straddling lanes, that’s the giveaway.”

A pair of CHP officers, on a highway like 54 can pull over as many as four drunken drivers on a Friday night. This would count as a busy night, though CHP would like to catch more.

“By the time you pull them over, test them for intoxication, and book them for arrest, you don’t know how many others wobbled by you,” said Flores.

“We often pull one over while we’re taking another one to jail,” she said.

Supervisor Dianne Jacob from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and Capt. Charles Braddy from the La Mesa Police commented on the show of force displayed here today.

“This sends a strong message to East County not to drive drunk,” said Jacob, “and if you do drive drunk, you’ll end up drunk in jail.”

“Drunken driving is a problem through all borders and all areas. Our stats show that we can become more involved.” said Braddy.

The program director for CASA, Lorenzo Higley agreed, “Law enforcement cannot do the job alone, we all have a duty. The toll (from DUI accidents) is too high. That’s why we’re here today,” he said.

The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation was one of three sponsors for the first billboard. Discount Tires and Communities Against Substance Abuse (CASA) also donated to pay for this billboard. Lamar Advertising donated the space.

Danny Tucker, vice chairman for the tribal council of the Sycuan commented on how his tribe became involved in the project.

“Drunken driving, drunken anything, hits home with us, “he said. “Native Americans communities have many recovering alcoholics and though we’re doing better now, we still need to be active in sending the message out.”

And the billboard, the law enforcement agencies expect, is the way to do it.

The billboard faces east on Jamacha Rd. Officer Lopez of the CHP, pictured far left on the board, explained the strategy of this particular board.

He pointed toward the 94 highway where cars pounded by at fifty, sixty miles an hour. “That one leads to Tecate.” he said.

His arm swiveled south to the 54, “That one, toward downtown. We want to warn people before they head to Tecate, Tijuana, downtown San Diego, or anywhere else the might go to drink. The idea is to get the message across before the people choose to drink and drive, not after. After, it might be too late.”

Lopez added that the CHP practices a zero tolerance policy with drunken drivers. “This isn’t like the show where the cop tells the guy, ‘okay, you only have to drive a block, so go slow.’ No. This is serious. I’ve arrested people in their own driveways.”

Curious drivers watched as twenty official looking people, accompanied by members of every East County law enforcement team, crossed the street for a news conference. This reporter noted that many a fast moving car’s brakelights flashed upon coming onto the officers. The cars slowed, gawking as the ensemble of authority.

Then, they cautiously approached the intersection, driving slowly through; just in case. Lt. Fulton got directly to the point. “If you don’t want these officers behind me to arrest you, then choose not to drink and drive,” she said.

“We’re working together because we can’t afford drunken drivers. And neither can you,” she added.

The lieutenant cited statistics taken from San Diego county in 1999. During that year, 112 people were killed due to alcohol-related crashes. Another 2,832 were injured due to alcohol.

Supervisor Jacob also spoke, “It says a lot about a place I think, when five law enforcement agencies come together, but it’s not just law enforcement. More East County businesses, stores and bars are refusing to sell alcohol to minors.