Orleans County DUI Training Strengthens Community Safety

The Orleans County State's Attorney's Office recently hosted a DUI refresher training for local law enforcement, bringing together officers from the Orleans County Sheriff's Department and the Newport Police Department. Orleans County State’s Attorney Farzana Leyva, Deputy State’s Attorney Julianne Woolard, and State’s Attorney Vincent Illuzzi were all in attendance. The education program demonstrated the commitment our public service professionals have to ensuring Vermont's public safety.

The session, led by the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs’ (SAS)Traffic Resource Prosecutors Dennis Wygmans and Matthew Dolezal, provided a crucial opportunity for discourse on the complexities of DUI law. Topics covered included the intricate legal requirements for handling DUI-Drug cases as well as a detailed review of the civil suspension process. We also focused on recent legislative changes, specifically those introduced in Act 41, to ensure officers and attorneys are up-to-date on the latest laws.

 We extend our sincere gratitude to all the participants for their dedication, and especially thank Chief Travis Bingham and Sheriff Jennifer Harlow for their leadership and involvement. Given the increasing number of deaths on Vermont’s roads caused by drug and alcohol-impaired driving, this work is more important than ever. We believe that every resource, every training session, and every minute dedicated to preparation plays a vital role in protecting lives.

 Thank you to Orleans County State’s Attorney Farzana Leyva for your vision and outreach to make this important training possible.

 By sharing our knowledge with public safety professionals, we stand together to protect our communities and hold offenders accountable.