The Kern County Probation Department has received a nearly $160,000 grant from the state that will be put toward monitoring high-risk DUI offenders.

Chief probation officer T.R. Merickel says the money will allow his department to continue a needed program to keep people from breaking the law again.

“What it does is allow us to dedicate a probation officer that will have a much smaller case load that will focus solely on felony or repeat DUI offenders,” he said.

The officer will conduct unannounced home searches and random drug and alcohol testing.

– Anthony Pollreisz