CLEARFIELD – To jurors, a picture is worth 1,000 words. Now, with new technology, the Clearfield County DUI Strike Force will have the capability to present those pictures to jurors.
At a press conference on Friday, Clearfield County District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr., members of the state police, Clearfield Borough Police Department and Curwensville Borough Police Department unveiled a new digital eyewitness mobile video recorder that the strike force will be using.
“The DUI Strike Force was formed in an effort to increase DUI enforcement activities throughout Clearfield County,” said Shaw. “The strike force is comprised of various officers in our area. Strike force officers regularly conduct roving patrols and random checkpoints to identify and apprehend motorists who are driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.
“Strike force operations have accounted for 17 percent of all DUI arrests made in Clearfield County since the first operation in November 2005.”
The MVR is due to a donation from Kansas-based Kustom Signals, Inc., the same company that provides state police cruisers with their video systems. The value of the MVR is $6,000.
The recorder is permanently mounted in Clearfield Borough Police cruiser that will be used on all checkpoints and roving patrols. Sgt. Greg Neeper of the Clearfield Borough Police Department said that the goal is for all municipalities to have an MVR.
“The MVR will assist the strike force in evidence collection and prosecution of DUI offenders,” said Shaw. “The MVR will also aid officers by protecting them from allegations of misconduct and help to identify training deficiencies.
“The donation of the MVR will improve the effectiveness of the strike force which will inevitably make our roadways safer for the residents of Clearfield County.”
Shaw said he looked forward to the continued success of the strike force and the partnerships that have been formed to help make the community a safer place to live.
“If we can save one life from this equipment, it will be worth it,” said Shaw.