Article Contributed on: 3/12/2009 12:27:10 PM
Don't count on the luck of the Irish to avoid a DUI this St. Patrick's Day. The Colorado State Patrol and 63 law enforcement agencies have filed plans to crackdown on impaired drivers through the St. Patrick's Day holiday. The special Heat Is On enforcement begins at 6 p.m. Friday, March 13th and ends at 3 a.m., Wednesday, March 18th.
"Don't let the green beer and festive atmosphere fool you into thinking you'll get away with a crime like drunk driving," said Col.
James Wolfinbarger, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. "Plan ahead before you party or you can plan on getting a DUI. Law enforcement agencies will be saturating the state looking for impaired drivers."
March has become a deadly month in Colorado for impaired driving. In 2007, March was the second deadliest month, behind June, for the alcohol-related fatalities, with 28 people killed in drunk driving crashes. (Alcohol-related fatal crash data for 2008 is not yet available).
"The combination of the St. Patrick's Day holiday, warmer weather and spring break has made us particularly concerned about March as a high alcohol-related fatality month," said
Mike Nugent, manager of CDOT's Office of Transportation Safety. "We're putting people on warning that impaired driving is not acceptable on St. Patrick's Day or any day of the year. If you're over the limit, you'll be under arrest. It's that simple."
People convicted of DUI face serious consequences, including jail time, the loss of their driver's license, an ignition interlock on their vehicle, alcohol-treatment classes, higher insurance rates and dozens of other unanticipated expenses that can total more than $10,270.
During last year's St. Patrick's DUI enforcement period, 520 people were arrested for DUI. The Denver Police Department made 72 of those arrests, and they plan to be out in force through St. Patrick's Day.
"The Denver Police Department will continue its efforts to keep the streets safe for our citizens by vigorously enforcing the state's DUI laws and keeping dangerous drivers off our roads," said Division Chief
David Quinones, Denver Police Department. "We ask that everyone celebrate responsibly when drinking alcohol and plan ahead by designating a sober driver or taking public transportation."
The Colorado State Patrol and 63 law enforcement agencies have filed the following DUI enforcement plans:
Sobriety Checkpoints:
March 14 - Jefferson County SO, roving checkpoints 5 p.m. - 3 a.m.
March 17 -- CSP Troop 4-A Fruita, Grand Junction PD and Mesa County SO
March 17 - Custer County SO, traditional checkpoint, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Increased Patrols:
Auraria Campus PD
Aurora PD
Boulder County SO
Boulder PD
Brighton PD
Brush PD
Cedaredge PD
Cherry Hills PD
Commerce City PD
Cortez PD
Crested Butte Marshal's Office
CSP Troop 1-D Adams County
CSP Troop 2-A Canon City
CSP Troop 2-B Colorado Springs
CSP Troop 2-D Pueblo
CSP Troop 3-B Sterling
CSP Troop 4-B Craig
CSP Troop 5-A Durango
CSP Troop 5-B Alamosa
CSP Troop 6-A Golden
Denver PD
Durango PD
Erin PD
Estes Park PD
Fountain PD
Fremont County PD
Fremont County SO
Gilpin County SO
Glenwood Springs PD
Kiowa PD
Lafayette PD
Lakewood PD
Leadville PD
Logan County SO
Manitou Springs PD
Milliken PD
Montezuma County SO
Montrose PD
Monument PD
Platteville PD
Pueblo County SO
Saguache County SO
Simla PD
Summit County SO
Teller County SO
Saturation Patrols:
Adams County SO
Alamosa PD
Arapahoe County SO
Arvada PD
Aurora PD
Avon PD
Basalt PD
Boulder PD
Chafee County SO
Colorado Springs PD
CSP Troop 1-A Limon
CSP Troop 1-C Castle Rock
CSP Troop 2-C Lamar
CSP Troop 3-A Greeley
CSP Troop 3-C Fort Collins
CSP Troop 4-C Glenwood Springs
CSP Troop 5-C Montrose
CSP Troop 6-B Frisco
CSP Troop 6-C Broomfield
Denver PD
Douglas County SO
Edgewater PD
El Paso County SO
Elbert County SO
Evans PD
Greenwood Village PD
Larimer County SO
Las Animas County SO
Littleton PD
Loveland PD
Mesa County SO
Northglenn PD
Parker PD
Pitkin County SO
Steamboat Springs PD
Weld County SO
Woodland Park PD
To view DUI arrests after the enforcement period starts visit
www.dot.state.co.us/trafficsafety/ and click on DUI Enforcement. Choose St. Patrick's Day 2009 for the enforcement period and click on View Report.
Heather Halpape is the PR Manager for Safety Programs for the Colorado Department of Transportation.