Sheriff’s ACE team working to make county safer

Almost 200 intoxicated drivers were taken off Brunswick County roadways in 2009 thanks to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Team.

The team, which receives funding through a Governor’s Highway Safety Program grant, targets intoxicated drivers and other driving-related offenses.

Through their efforts, some 3,328 driving, drug and alcohol-related citations were issued in 2009, a significant increase over previous years, according to the sergeant who oversees the ACE team.

In addition to 193 DWI arrests, almost 1,500 speeding citations were issued, along with more than 300 infractions for driving on a revoked license and a host of other violations.

The numbers paint a frightening picture for Brunswick County—our roads are deadly, especially considering many of the violators are repeat offenders.

We commend those behind the implementation of this program, especially Sheriff John Ingram, for this forward thinking. Keeping citizens safe is a key responsibility of law enforcement, and finding new ways to improve law enforcement presence and effectiveness benefits us all.

We support the ACE team and look forward to its continued success. When the grant-funding period comes to an end, if the team’s success remains high and Brunswick County roads continue to be this dangerous, we hope the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners and the sheriff’s office will continue to stand behind this program and look for ways to continue its future funding.

Our roads are safer because of the ACE team, and we thank them for all they do.