Kane prosecutors picked for DUI panel

Two Kane County prosecutors have been tapped to help set training practices for Illinois court personnel who handle drunken driving cases.

Assistant state's attorneys Clint Hull and Steve Sims recently joined the University of Illinois-Springfield's DUI Advisory Committee, which is part of the school's Legal, Legislative and Policy Studies for State Police and Leadership.

Sims, chief of Kane County's DUI and traffic units, said the positions involve developing training to keep judges, prosecutors and other court personnel up to speed on case law, secretary of state issues and trends related to DUI cases.

The panel, funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation's traffic safety division, meets annually.

"We're very flattered," Sims said of the appointments. "If we can contribute in any way to the training of prosecutors, that is definitely our goal."

Both Sims and Hull, who is the office's first assistant, were key players in several DUI-enforcement initiatives put in place by the state's attorney in recent years, including the Drunkbusters reward program for motorists who report suspected impaired drivers.

The office also conducted its first "No Refusal" initiative Memorial Day weekend. The program involves obtaining warrants for blood samples from motorists who are suspected of drunken driving but refuse a breath test.

"The greater emphasis we place on aggressive (DUI) prosecution, the fewer lives we lose on the highways," Kane County State's Attorney John Barsanti said in a statement. "This is a priority of this office."