Crime & Safety
West Bloomfield Police Step Up Drunken Driving Patrol Over Holidays
Federal safety grants pay for extra officers to be on the roads through New Year's.
Law enforcement officers in communities in 26 counties, including West Bloomfield in Oakland County, will put in some extra time targeting impaired drivers during the holiday season.
The added enforcement is part of the holiday Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. crackdown being funded with federal traffic safety grants administered by the Office of Highway Safety Planning.
"We are deploying extra drunk driving detail through Jan. 2nd," West Bloomfield Police Lt. Tim Diamond said. "We started around Dec. 16th."
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Specifically, the grants will cover extra patrols tonight, Friday and Dec. 29, according to the OHSP.
Diamond also urges residents to call the police if they see a driver who appears to be intoxicated.
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Those who plan to drink are always encouraged to designate a sober driver, take a cab or spend the night where they are. After all, you don't want to blow your holiday season budget on a DUI offense, which can adding up to more than $15,000, according to the Michigan State Police.
"The inconvenience of a drunk driving arrest doesn't end with a trip to jail," OHSP Director Michael L. Prince said in a release. "When factoring in court costs, legal fees, bail, towing, license fees and increased insurance, a drunk driving arrest is a very expensive situation."
Out of the 11 people who were killed over last year's Christmas and New Year's holidays in crashes on Michigan roadways, four were alcohol-fueled incidents, according to the OHSP.
To see a complete list of participating communities, visit the OHSP website.
Tim Rath contributed to this report.
