City of Mesa awarded $17K grant to fund DUI prosecutions

MESA, AZ - The City of Mesa Prosecutor’s Office received a grant to help fund DUI prosecutions amidst a dramatic rise in DUI drug cases.

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety awarded the department $17,000 to improve their DUI prosecutions.

The funding will allow the Mesa Police Department crime lab to stay open 20 more hours per month over the course of six months, according to a press release.

The grant will also reportedly fund new courtroom technology.

"I am very appreciative of the partnership and support that the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety and Director Alberto Gutier have provided to the City of Mesa Prosecutor's Office," City Prosecutor Jon Eliason said in the press release. 

"The funding provided for this vital overtime and equipment will undoubtedly make prosecuting DUI drug cases more efficient and consequently more effective in attaining justice for the City of Mesa and its residents."

Mesa is the nation’s leader in Drug Recognition Expert examinations, designed to identify impaired drivers and determine which category they are identified under.