CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — The Habersham County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded two significant grants from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). The funding, totaling nearly $200,000, provides a substantial boost to the department’s traffic enforcement and highway safety initiatives.
Habersham County Sheriff Robin Krockum expressed his gratitude for the recognition and the financial resources that will directly support the office’s ongoing mission to protect motorists.
Major funding for aggressive traffic enforcement
The first award is the Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (HEAT) grant, totaling $166,754.40.
This major funding injection is specifically designated to combat aggressive driving behaviors, which are a leading cause of traffic incidents, according to GOHS. The HEAT program allows law enforcement agencies to dedicate increased resources, including specialized patrols and equipment, toward high-visibility enforcement efforts targeting violations like speeding, tailgating, and reckless driving.
“Crash data shows enforcement and education of traffic laws are two of the most effective countermeasures to help our state and nation reduce crashes and eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our roads,” said Allen Poole, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
According to Krockum, this proactive approach has helped significantly reduce the number of serious injury and fatal crashes on county roads.
“We appreciate the support of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in helping our agency reduce the number of injuries and fatalities on our roadways,” Krockum said in a news release. “Thanks to the continued funding of this grant, we have been able to reduce the number of traffic fatalities from 23 to 9 within the past two years.”
GOHS recognizes life-saving traffic network leadership
In addition to the HEAT funding, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) also received a traffic enforcement grant for $32,814.72, also from the GOHS.
This second grant is particularly noteworthy as it was awarded in direct recognition of the HCSO’s lifesaving work as the coordinating agency of GOHS’s Northeast Traffic Enforcement Network. This network facilitates collaboration among multiple law enforcement agencies in the region, ensuring coordinated, targeted, and effective enforcement operations.
“This grant will make sure that efforts to protect the public from drunk, distracted and other dangerous driving behaviors will continue,” said Roger Hayes, GOHS Director of Law Enforcement Services. He said the grant also recognizes the HCSO for its leadership, dedication and hard work to reduce crashes and injuries and eliminate traffic deaths.
