Thunder Task Force conducting three-day traffic enforcement in Warner Robins

Editor’s Note: this article has been updated to include additional remarks from the Warner Robins Police Department and Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

WARNER ROBINS — The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety’s (GOHS) Thunder Task Force is in Warner Robins for a three-day traffic enforcement operation, According to a press release by the Georgia GOHS. 

The task force is a partnership between the Warner Robins Police Department, Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia State Patrol, Middle Georgia Traffic Enforcement Network and the GOHS Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Enforcement of Traffic (H.E.A.T.) Unit. Warner Robins Police Chief Wayne Fisher said at a press conference the department is adding 30 to 40 officers enforcing the traffic laws.

Fisher said enforcement began around 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Units will target drunk and drugged driving, speeding, distracted driving, and failure to obey Georgia’s Seat Belt Law and Hands-free Law. In the release, drivers were also reminded to follow Georgia’s Move Over Law.  

“[Georgia’s Move Over Law] requires drivers to move over in the next adjacent lane if safe to do so or slow down to ten miles below the posted speed limit when passing a law enforcement vehicle parked on the side of the road with safety lights activated,” the release said.

The release also said H.E.A.T. Units will be involved in the operation for drunk and drugged driving checkpoints on both Friday and Saturday nights. Fisher emphasized they will not disclose the exact locations, as they are encouraging the public to abide by the traffic laws.

“Persons traveling in the Warner Robins area from Thursday through early Sunday morning should be on the lookout for law enforcement vehicles conducting traffic contacts and holding DUI checkpoints,” the release said. 

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety choosing these locations was data-driven. GOHS Law Enforcement Coordinator Powell Harrelson said Warner Robins would not have a H.E.A.T. team if the data showed otherwise.

Fisher clarified the enforcement is not involved with immigration matters. He also dispelled rumors of departments trying to reach a quota.   

“Our officers’ actions and intents are to be aggressive in our enforcement to DUIs as I would think the public would want us to arrest every drunk driver that we are in contact with,” Fisher said.  

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, 26 people died in car crashes in the city of Warner Robins from 2018 through 2022.

 “28% of those fatal passenger vehicle crashes involved a driver whose BAC was .08 or higher,” the release said. “Federal crash data also show that nearly 60% of fatally impaired driving passenger vehicle crashes in Warner Robins during this five-year period involved a driver whose BAC was twice the legal limit.”

State crash data showed 25% of fatal car crashes were caused by an impaired driver. 

“This event is merely about saving lives,” Harrelson said. “We want to try and drive the numbers down, and usually the crime in Warner Robins is down this weekend because of the influx of law enforcement.”

Overall, Fisher pointed out that the motorist is solely responsible for compliance in traffic laws. 

“We know to have insurance on our vehicle, wear seat belts, don’t be drunk or impaired while driving, overly tired while driving as that’s just as dangerous as drunk driving and also we shouldn’t be texting and driving,” Fisher said. “Don’t run any stop signs, don’t speed.”

Going forward, Fisher stated with WRPD as a partnered agency member of the GOHS, there will likely be more speed checks and road checks and road checks in the future.

The release said, “After this weekend’s operation, Warner Robins Police Department and other local agencies will continue concentrated drunk and drugged driving enforcement over the coming months with the goal of saving lives through the elimination of drunk and drugged driving traffic crashes.”