While there aren’t a huge number of driving under the influence – DUI – arrests made during the course of a year in Escalon, there are enough to warrant some recognition from MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
This year, a plaque was presented to Officer Carl Poortinga, who had the most DUI arrests of regular patrol officers. He had four solo DUI arrests during the reporting period for the MADD program, and assisted on a fifth.
The plaque was presented at the Monday night Escalon City Council meeting, Oct. 2, given to Officer Poortinga by Police Chief Mike Borges.
“He had the most DUI arrests in our agency, typically you will see an officer with 20 or more,” the chief said, but added that those numbers come in agencies where there could be an officer specifically designated for DUI patrols.
In Escalon, where officers handle all types of calls, Poortinga is also the officer assigned to patrol on the new Zero motorcycle and is involved in community oriented policing. That, in addition to making the DUI arrests while on routine patrol.
“The Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization used to host a luncheon for Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties,” Borges explained of the awards presentation. “This year they did it in Sacramento so we weren’t able to attend.”
But, the chief said, that allowed him to present the plaque and have Poortinga recognized at the local level.
Council members offered kudos from the dais for Poortinga’s work and Borges said he accounted for roughly one-third of the DUI arrests in the city over the past several months.
Meanwhile, he will be utilizing the Zero motorcycle later this week, doing some speed enforcement in various areas of the city.
In other business at the Monday night meeting, council members heard from Russell Fowler from Assemblyman Health Flora’s office that the freshman assemblyman’s Fire Apprenticeship Bill has been signed into law by the governor and Mayor Jeff Laugero also read a proclamation signifying October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and saluting the work of the Women’s Center – Youth and Family Services in the county.
The council also unanimously adopted a resolution amending the 2017-18 budget to incorporate a list of projects to be funded through SB 1, The Road Repair and Accountability Act.
The first project to be financed with the SB 1 money will be Escalon Avenue, with the project including rehabilitation with new pavement overlay and thermoplastic striping, and reconstruction of broken sidewalks on the west side. Project area will be from Highway 120 to the northerly city limits. An estimated $40,300 will come to the city for this fiscal year and close to $121,000 is projected to be provided in fiscal year 2018-19 for the local construction.
