Chandler Police Department has received three new DUI-enforcement vehicles this week as part of an effort to increase officer safety.
This comes following the death of Officer David Payne last year. Payne was on a police department motorcycle when he was struck from behind by a drunk driver.
Chandler Police Sergeant Dan Stout said the SUVs will be a safer platform for officers than motorcycles.
“We use those vehicles primarily in the evening hours for traffic enforcement and DUI enforcement. They work a variety of shifts throughout the week, and basically they are assigned to the officer and their primary focus is to remove impaired drivers from the roadway," Stout said.
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety granted about $140,000 to pay for the SUVs.