HISTORY ::

In May, 1972, representatives of the Erie County MotorClub presented a program to the Erie Traffic Safety Council aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries on the local roadways. The program which they presented was the Phoenix D.W.I. Counterattack Program, designed to reduce the number of problem drinkers on the highways and combat the problem of the "drunk driver". The response from the Erie County Court, when presented with the program, was just as affirmative and enthusiastic as the response from the Traffic Safety Council. The seed for the development of an Erie County D.W.I. Program was planted. The Adult Probation Department, already having the unenviable task of trying to solve the "drunk driver" problem and with the able assistance of the Graduate School of Gannon College, was charged with the responsibility for the development and operation of the Erie County D.W.I. Program.

The urgency of the problem and the enthusiasm of the interested parties precipitated the start of the actual class sessions before any program design or financial arrangements could be developed. The initial class session was held in July, 1972 at Gannon College and three additional sessions of the program were held by Adult Probation Officers, was appointed Program Director by the Court in November, 1972 and charged with the task of organizing and operating the program.

In 1975, the Erie County D.W.I. Program was recognized by the Pennsylvania Governor's Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse as a pioneer in Pennsylvania DWI programming. This recognition and self-sustaining financial aspect of the program served to showcase the Erie County D.W.I. Program and enabled it to act as a model for the development of similar programs throughout Pennsylvania.