ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Law enforcement agencies across the state are enhancing their presence on the roads to stop drunk driving around New Year’s with the help of funding. Organizations like Monroe County Stop DWI will be getting even more funding in the new year.

“We will also be getting surcharges, DWI fines and fees, so that’s going to open things up for us a lot more than in the last couple of years,” said Monroe County Stop DWI coordinator Lindsay Tomidy.

That’s exactly what Tomidy says is needed especially after looking at the data.

“When you take the percentage of crashes for impaired driving for New York State, they account for about 6% out of every single county in New York,” Tomidy said. “However, when you compare that with the amount of population within our county, we are winning a contest we don’t want to be winning at number one.”

That’s why Tomidy says that funding for Stop DWI is essential and a new bill signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in October will add to the funding needed to continue their programs.

“We will also be getting surcharges outside of DWIs and fines and fees. So that’s going to open things up a lot more for us than in the last couple of years,” Tomidy said.

Rochester Police say they use the money they receive from the organization to fund their DWI enforcement, especially on New Year’s Eve. The money they receive from Stop DWI covers the over time expenses for officers to conduct DWI specific patrols that proactively target drunk drivers during high risk times of the year.