Jim Fair
"We are encouraging our officers to arrest drunk drivers and we are giving them incentives for the number of people they arrest for that specific offense."
Greer Police Chief Dan Reynolds
Reynolds is developing a separate unit to enforce DUI laws. In the meantime he is offering his officers incentives for making DUI arrests and setting up patrols where drivers are more likely to drink and drive.
Reynolds is also suggesting media make public DUI arrests and post their photos.
The aggressive stand comes nearly three weeks after Andrew Glasier, 26, of Greer was charged with driving under the influence, going the wrong way along I-385 and hitting a Greenville woman’s car head-on killing her and seriously injuring her three children, all under the age of 9. The husband of Shauntia Jackson, 26, was driving just ahead of her and trying to alert her by cell phone when the wreck occurred, police said.
Glasier was charged with four counts of felony DUI, police said.
“The Greer Police Department, especially after that tragic incident in Greenville where that mother died and seriously injured her children, has made a commitment to take a stand against drunk driving,” Reynolds said. “There was no reason for that to happen. We certainly don’t want it to happen here.”
Reynolds told the staff weeks ago enforcing DUI law was a priority.
“We are going to set up roadside checks on weekends to look for drunk drivers. We are encouraging our officers to arrest drunk drivers and we are giving them incentives for the number of people they arrest for that specific offense.
“People think, oh, drunk driving, everybody does it. It is not a crime, I am not a criminal. I am here to tell you, you are a criminal of the worst kind,” Reynolds said. “You know you shouldn’t drive under the influence. To me, that’s intolerable. That’s something you shouldn’t get away with.”
Reynolds said, on average, Greer police make 15-20 DUI arrests per weekend. That is indicative of the Greer police being proactive, Reynolds said. Greer has had 2-3 deaths in the past three years, according to Reynolds. “That’s stupid. We don’t want that.”
“I heard before people feel like that’s OK to drink and drive. I can control it. I know how to do that,” Reynolds said. No you don’t. You’re not aware if you don’t have all your mental faculties and don’t have the physical ability to drive.
“Not only that, I can imagine them texting and on their cell phone at the same time they are on the road driving. People know full well when you drink and drive there is potential risk to hurt somebody.”
Reynolds was asked about the court appearing to be lenient with its sentencing of drivers charged with DUI multiple times.
“The court should hold up their responsibility. I am not sure the law is strict enough. I don’t want to put the blame on anybody. I just want to say we have an obligation to enforce the laws of DUI and we’re going to do that regardless of the courts,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds said he would encourage a MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to begin a chapter in Greer.
Citizens should call 9-1-1 if they see suspicious driving, Reynolds said.