York County Sheriff’s Department targets impaired drivers after concerning trend

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Capt. Joshua Gillespie has served the people of York County for more than 20 years, and keeping roadways safe remains a top priority.

He’s one of many people inside the York County Sheriff’s Department working to prevent impaired drivers from going behind the wheel.

“What it takes is that phone call and being willing just to say, ‘hey, come pick me up,’” Gillespie said.

This past weekend, four people were arrested for driving under the influence, which may not sound like a lot. But for York County, he says it is.

“We’re not a huge county by any means. We’re a population of 15,000,” Gillespie said. “We want to get that number of drivers that are driving impaired down to zero.”

It hasn’t just been a problem this past weekend, but for the last couple of months.

“I think it just potentially is because people aren’t necessarily planning ahead,” Gillespie said.

He adds that you have to be proactive in order to combat the fatalities authorities are seeing on the roadway.

“Dealing with the aftermath of decisions you have to carry with you for the rest of your life,” Gillespie said.

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