The Arcade Police Department is cracking down on DUI violators in the South Jackson town.
According to Arcade police chief Dennis Bell, less than halfway through the current year, the town’s officers are on pace to nearly double their number of DUI arrests compared to 2006.
On Monday, the town’s mayor, Doug Haynie, praised the police department during a city council meeting and said that the increase in the number of DUI arrests is not merely a coincidence. According to Haynie, the town has made a concerted effort to crack down on DUI violators this year and he said he was pleased to see that the efforts have been paying off.
According to the latest figures, the police department made 17 DUI arrests last month, which makes it the busiest month this year. The latest figures available bring this year’s DUI arrest totals to 56. If that pace continues, DUI arrests would nearly double compared to 2006, when 69 were made for the entire year.
Other monthly totals for DUI arrests by Arcade police officers include 11 in April, five in March, 11 in February and 12 in January.
Bell said members of his 10-person staff have recently undergone training in field sobriety testing and that has proved to be very useful in traffic stops.
In addition, a new unit focusing more on DUI and drug crimes was also started last month.
“Those guys, they work particularly on drugs, DUI and stuff like that,” Bell explained. “That’s one of the big things that helped this, plus I sent all of our officers to standardized field sobriety training. And they can really do their job better once they go to these classes, as far as DUI, not only with alcohol but also with drugs.”
He also added that there has been more of a police presence on Hwy. 129 this year, due to the ongoing widening of the highway, which runs through the town’s city limits. As speed limits have been lowered along portions of the road while the work is being completed, more drivers are getting stopped first for speeding and then officers discover later they are also under the influence.
“After the construction zone started, I did put everybody out there,” Bell said. “I do attribute probably 35 to 40 percent of (the DUI increases) to that because our officers are out on that bypass, especially when people are working out there.”
One thing the chief also said has helped with catching DUI offenders has been the awareness of the general public in helping to spot potential drivers who might be impaired.
“That helps a tremendous amount,” he said. “When the public calls in and gives us a description of the vehicle and a tag number.”
Most years, an increase in DUI arrests is also generally seen in Arcade during the fall when many fans that frequent University of Georgia football games are caught driving under the influence. That could mean that this year’s figures will easily eclipse the 2006 ones, especially considering the increase that has already been seen this year.
“I’m going to be honest, It’s on the rise, it’s on the rise bad,” Bell said.
