EDITORIAL: 24/7 sobriety program is life-saver

Drinking and driving is not just a crime; it is also a huge social problem, especially here in Montana. It ruins lives; destroys families; and, yes, kills innocent people.

Fortunately, in 2010, then Attorney General Steve Bullock proposed the 24/7 Sobriety Program to ensure that alcohol testing and monitoring is included as part of the conditions for release of DUI suspects.

After a pilot program proved overwhelmingly successful in Lewis and Clark County, the 24/7 concept went statewide in legislation carried by Rep. Steve Lavin, a Kalispell legislator and Montana Highway Patrol sergeant.

Since being signed into law by Gov. Brian Schweitzer in May of 2011, the 24/7 Sobriety Program has no doubt saved uncounted lives and also probably helped to restore some alcoholic drivers to sanity.

Not everyone liked the new law, however. Robert Spady of Libby was charged with contempt of court for missing scheduled breath tests and appealed. A lower court declared that because the law requires suspects to pay their own fees for testing, it amounted to unconstitutional pretrial punishment.

But fortunately Attorney General Tim Fox appealed the lower court ruling in an effort to preserve this life-saving law, and last week the Montana Supreme Court backed him up, saying the fees are similar to bail.

Hopefully that ruling will encourage additional sheriffs to participate. At this time, only 24 of Montana’s 56 counties are using the 24/7 program, although six more are in the process of starting their own. In a state where highways are as dangerous as those in Montana, we need all 56 counties to be working to keep known or suspected drunk drivers off the road.

As Gov. Bullock said, “Today’s ruling will ensure that this program continues to save lives, make our highways safer, and hold drunk drivers accountable for their actions.”

Great job fighting fire

The remarkable response to Wednesday’s dangerous fire in Evergreen was a testament to the talent, dedication and preparedness of our local firefighters and emergency responders.

Evergreen Fire Rescue took the lead in fighting the blaze, which burned nearly seven acres and destroyed a number of homes and outbuildings in the heart of Evergreen. Several other fire departments, forest firefighters, the sheriff’s office and the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation —12 agencies in all — made sizable contributions as well.

The community of Evergreen can be proud of how well the emergency was handled.