Agency Mobilization Update
It sounds like a Mastercard commercial…
Cost of detail: 304 man hours.
Number of agencies working together to address the serious problem of drunk driving: Fourteen.
Impact operations like this have on public safety: Priceless!
The 2008 edition of the “Provide a Safe Run on Route 21” mobilization was a great success. In spite of the bad weather, the mobilization was very successful.
Collectively, 80 officers from 14 law enforcement agencies provided 304 hours of special DUI saturation patrols and roadside safety checks along the entire 40 mile length of Illinois Route 21(Milwaukee Avenue). Officers wrote 530 citations and made 52 arrests. A total of 20 impaired drivers were removed from the roadway. The average BAC for those arrested was a 0.149.
In addition to the DUI arrests, officers made an additional 32 traffic arrests including suspended/revoked drivers licenses, no valid driver's licenses and one warrant arrest.
Over the last five years, the combined efforts have resulted in 2555 citations issued and 352 arrests. Since 2004 a total of 166 impaired drivers have been removed from the roadway.
Participating agencies include: Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Glenview, Gurnee, Illinois State Police, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Niles, Prospect Heights, Riverwoods, Vernon Hills, Wheeling as well as the Cook and Lake County Sheriff's Departments.
Many lives were saved due to the collaborative efforts from dedicated agencies during the holiday season.
Thanks again for a job well done!
2008 HOLIDAY D.U.I. ENFORCEMENT
NORTH SUBURBAN POLICE OFFICERS “PROVIDING A SAFE RUN ON RT. 21.”
Campaign Starts December 12th
People who drink and drive after holiday parties and festivities make the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's one of the most dangerous seasons for the public due to alcohol and other drug- related crashes. Alcohol alone is a factor in at least 41 percent of all fatal crashes, which averages one alcohol-related fatality every thirty minutes and one alcohol- related injury every two minutes.
To address this deadly threat, police officers from 12 north suburban law enforcement agencies, the Chicago Police Department and Illinois State Police will combine their efforts for two weekends leading into the holidays. D.U.I. saturation patrols will be conducted along the entire stretch of Route 21 (Milwaukee Avenue) from downtown Chicago to Route 41 in Gurnee, a distance of over forty miles. Participating agencies include Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Glenview, Gurnee, Illinois State Police, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Niles, Prospect Heights, Riverwoods, Vernon Hills, Wheeling as well as the Cook and Lake County Sheriff's Departments.
This enforcement campaign will be a part of the National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) prevention month which has targeted the month of December since 1981. This prevention and enforcement mobilization has focused on the promotion of designated drivers and safe ride programs as well as the arrest of impaired drivers. This year's theme is, “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. “
Holiday revelers who drink can have their choice of transportation – a designated driver or a free ride in a police car.
Safe Run of Route 21 - No Refusal Weekend
Coordinated Corridor DUI Mobilization a Great Success
It sounds like a VISA commercial-Number of man-hours for I-366 mobilization; eight agencies working together to address the serious problem of drunk driving; the impact operations like this have on public safety- Priceless! Officers from eight law enforcement agencies and the Lake County State's Attorney's office made "No Refusal" a part of its extensive Labor Day weekend enforcement a s a part of the National “You Drink & Drive. You Lose” Labor Day DUI enforcement mobilization.
Police agencies from eight departments combined efforts in a coordinated corridor DUI enforcement mobilization along the entire stretch of Milwaukee Avenue from the Cook County border in Buffalo Grove north to Gurnee.
Participating agencies included the Buffalo Grove, Gurnee, Libertyville, Linclonshire, Riverwoods, Vernon Hills, Lake County Sheriff's, Illinois State Police and the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. Participating agencies provided extra saturation patrols while the Lake County Sheriff's Police and the Illinois State Police conducted safety check points.
This mobilization was the first time county law enforcement utilized the “No Refusal” option for drivers refusing to take a DUI breath test. If a driver refused to take a breath test, assistant state's attorneys were standing by to prepare court orders for blood tests. Those orders were then taken to an on-call judge, and, if approved, a search warrant was issued for the suspects' blood to be drawn.
Of the six drivers who refused to submit to a breath test, and were told a search warrant would be issued for their blood, five decided to comply with the breath test. The sixth driver who refused to comply with the search warrant was charged with contempt of court as well as DUI.
The results of the mobilization resulted in 18 DUI arrests, 505 citations, 46 traffic arrests and 15 criminal arrests.
As law enforcement leaders we need to continue to explore new and innovative ways to maximize our law enforcement efforts by coordinating multiple agency resources to address this serious national problem.
By: Scott Kristiansen
