May 30, 2008
Holiday Weekend Enforcement Results in 558 DUI Arrests
More Than 200 Fewer DUI Arrests During Same Time Period in 2007
STATEWIDE - Law enforcement agencies participating in The Heat Is On! and DUI Checkpoint Colorado made 558 DUI arrests over the Memorial Day Weekend enforcement period, according to preliminary results filed with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). The holiday enforcement period began at 6 p.m. Friday, May 23 and ended at 3 a.m. on Tuesday, May 27.
These latest arrest statistics are down 27% from 2007 when there were 766 arrests over the Memorial Day Weekend. A new DUI enforcement tactic highlighting 28 Heat Hot Spots, or areas of focus for DUI enforcement, was implemented over the holiday weekend. The Hot Spots were selected by local law enforcement agencies based on roadways that have historically high DUI arrests or crashes. The goal was to deter potential impaired drivers by being highly visible within their communities. “Between the DUI Hot Spot enforcements, ongoing public education messages that scream that drinking and driving is a crime and the fact that more motorists stayed off the highways while celebrating the holiday this year, we have fewer DUI arrests than in previous years,’ said Colonel Mark Trostel, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol (CSP). “It is our ongoing goal to keep drinking drivers off our highways and to have a designated driver for anyone that has been drinking. And remember, the smart choice for all motorists and passengers is to buckle up.”
The CSP recorded the highest number of DUI arrests with 175. The following agencies also reported a high number of DUI arrests: Denver Police Department (57), Colorado Springs Police Department (55), Aurora Police Department (26), Larimer County Sheriff’s Office (18), Thornton Police Department (16), Boulder Police Department (15), Greeley Police Department (15), Northglenn Police Department (14), Adams County Sheriff’s Office (12) and Summit County Sheriff’s Office (12).
For more information on the DUI enforcement period and to view DUI arrest totals by agency, visit www.dot.state.co.us/trafficsafety/ and click “Reports” on the header. Choose “Heat Is On! Enforcement”, select “Memorial Day Weekend 2008” and click “view report.” According to the CSP, there were five fatal crashes resulting in eight fatalities over the Memorial Day Weekend. Five of the victims were not wearing seatbelts. The next Heat Is On! enforcement period will be the July 4th holiday weekend.