DUI Checkpoints & Crime on the Road, Sobriety Checkpoints

The East Valley DUI Task Force is conducting its 23rd annual enforcement campaign from December 5 through December 31, 2008. The purpose of the task force is to combine resources including but not limited to equipment, manpower, facilities, and most of all a common goal to remove the alcohol/drug impaired drivers from the roadways of the communities represented by the participating law enforcement agencies.

The scheduled period the DUI task force will be in operation has been identified as a time in which celebration and activities related to Christmas and New Years are prevalent. This time period has also associated with countless fatality and serious injury collisions related to the use of alcohol and/or drugs.

The East Valley DUI Task Force has been recognized both in Arizona and nationally as one of the oldest and most successful multi-agency task forces. Presentations have been made about the success of the task force and as model agency partnership throughout the United States. The East Valley DUI Task Force was developed with five participating agencies and initiated its first holiday campaign in December of 1986. The task force since has grown to thirteen participating agencies, prosecutors, volunteer groups, non-profit organizations and local businesses. DUI arrests for the first five years of the task force totaled 1,239. During the 2007 task force DUI arrests were in excess of 1,600. East Valley agencies participation has grown from averaging 40 to 100 officers each night.

The East Valley DUI Task Force will conduct a press conference on Friday, December 5th 2008 at 7:00 PM to begin the 23rd annual East Valley Holiday DUI Task Force. The press conference will be conducted at the Arizona Department of Transportation Facility, located at 2500 E. Broadway Road in Tempe. Guest speakers will be selected from the staff and officers of the agencies representing the East Valley DUI Task Force.

Speakers:
Sergeant Tom Neve Arizona DPS
Chief Jack Lane Arizona DPS
Director Richard Fimbres Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
Heather Hurst Archangels Foundation
Jessica Smith Students Against Destructive Decisions
Ericka Espino Executive Director, Arizona MADD
Participants

The agencies participating in this years’ East Valley Holiday Task Force are: Arizona Department of Public Safety, Arizona State University Police, Chandler Police, Gila River Tribal Police, Gilbert Police, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department, Mesa Police, Paradise Valley Police, Phoenix Police, Scottsdale Police, Salt River Tribal Police and Tempe Police. Volunteers assisting the task force include: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Posse, Police Reserves, Police Civilian Volunteers, Police Explorers, Archangels Foundation, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Students Against Destructive Decisions. Motorola and Nextel are providing technical support.

The goal of the East Valley Holiday DUI Task Force is to educate drivers about the dangers of driving impaired and to prevent deaths and injuries caused by alcohol and drug impaired drivers through enforcement of DUI laws during the holiday season.

Arizona law states that you cannot drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs when your ability to drive is impaired to the slightest degree. The statutory per se law states that an individual is presumed to be impaired if their BAC is .08 or above. The extreme DUI law prohibits you from operating a vehicle if your BAC is .15 % or above and provides even stiffer penalties for drivers with over 0.20%. A person under the age of 21 is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle with any alcohol in the body. Method of Operation:

As many as 125 officers from 13 different jurisdictions will join forces and conduct saturation patrols from a different East Valley location each night. Officers will conduct traffic stops after observing indications of possible impairment or traffic violations. Drivers found to be impaired by alcohol or drugs will be arrested and transported to the command post for case processing. Additionally, officers will be enforcing a “ZERO TOLERANCE” policy towards underage drinkers. Youth alcohol officers will be searching for and citing persons under the age of 21 who are found to have alcohol in their system. In addition to enforcing alcohol and drug impairment laws, the task force will work with the media to help educate the public on the dangers of driving while impaired.

No Excuses:

The valley cab companies will be available for cab rides home to those who celebrated too much. A cab ride home will save the cost of being arrested for DUI and prevent you from being involved in a collision that could cost you or someone else their life. You can also designate a sober driver. The message is clear. If you drive impaired, we will find you and arrest you. This is one of the most commonly committed crimes in the United States. No one deserves to be injured or killed because of an impaired driver. We will enforce a zero tolerance policy for impaired drivers and do everything we can to ensure a safe holiday season for all.

The East Valley Holiday Task Force will be collecting new, unwrapped toys on December 13th for the W. Steven Martin’s Annual Christmas Law Enforcement Toy Drive. The task force will be located at the Chandler Christian Church, 1825 South Alma School Road, Chandler, AZ. The public is invited to drop off toys to bless those less fortunate this holiday season. Media Involvement:

Enforcement alone will not resolve the problem of impaired driving. Over the past year, Media coverage continues to be an invaluable asset in deterring impaired driving. Media outlets continue to educate people by helping us get the word out, greatly impacting the deterrence of countless numbers of would-be impaired drivers and the resulting injuries and deaths from DUI related collisions. We need your continued commitment in helping us get the message to the public. The media is encouraged to visit the task force command post during any night of operation. Media ride-alongs can be scheduled in advance or the night of the operation. Tempe Police Sergeant Dale Hoobler or Az. Department of Public Safety Police Sergeant Tom Neve will be happy to respond to any questions concerning the task force. They will provide whatever information you need to help us stop impaired driving this holiday season. They can be reached at the following numbers:

Sgt. Tom Neve (602) 223-2630 – Main Office
tneve@azdps.gov
Sgt: Steve Carbajal (480) 858-6278 Office
steve_carbajal@tempe.gov
Sgt. Dale Hoobler (480) 858-6287 Office
dale_hoobler@tempe.gov
Ofc. Robert Bailey (602) 377-3698
rbailey@azdps.com
Media Contact Information:

For information regarding nightly arrest statistics please contact Deputy Director Michael
Hegarty from the Governors Office of Highway Safety at (602) 206-2958.

Press Inquiries:
PO BOX 6638 | Phoenix, AZ 85005-6638 | azdps.gov | pio@azdps.gov
Goal of the Task Force:
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