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Improved Training Helps State Police Arrest Record Number of DUI Drivers
HARRISBURG - Commissioner Jeffrey B. Miller announced today that the Pennsylvania State Police arrested a record number of motorists in 2006 for driving under the influence. That’s a 10-percent increase over 2005.
Miller partly attributed the increase to improved training methods that are helping troopers identify drivers under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription medications or other substances.
"Our troopers are committed to highway safety, and removing irresponsible drivers who pose a threat to themselves and other motorists,” said Miller. “We are using education, training and continued high levels of enforcement to get the job done."
The state police arrested 15,047 drivers for DUI in 2006, which topped the previous record of 13,614 DUI arrests the previous year.
Miller said while the number of arrests increased, so too did the number of drivers on Pennsylvania’s roads.
“From 2004 to 2005, the number of registered vehicles in Pennsylvania increased by more than 650,000. Meanwhile, PennDOT figures show that the number of miles driven has increased by almost 2 million. This shows just how important it is to implementing effective training measures.”
The commissioner said Operation Nighthawk offers specialized training and enforcement for troopers and municipal police officers and helps law enforcement personnel conduct roving patrols to identify and arrest operators driving under the influence. Operations were held last year in Lackawanna County and the Philadelphia area. More are planned for this year.
The Drug Recognition Experts program, which trains troopers and municipal officers to identify drivers operating under the influence of illegal or prescription drugs and other substances, also played a role in the department’s anti-DUI efforts.
Since Pennsylvania initiated the DRE program in 2004, 30 troopers and four municipal officers have been certified as drug recognition experts and, in turn, they conducted 203 evaluations last year to determine which specific drug or drugs were causing a driver’s impairment. Troopers conducted 55 evaluations in 2005.
The state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement also continued several programs aimed at reducing underage drinking and the sale of alcohol to persons under 21. As part of the bureau’s age compliance program, started in 2005, underage college students working with liquor enforcement officers attempt to purchase alcohol at licensed establishments. Administrative action is taken against establishments that sell to minors.
Although the department has stepped up its anti-DUI programs, Miller said law-enforcement efforts are not the ultimate answer to reducing the number of DUI crashes.
“It’s every driver’s responsibility to stay out of the driver’s seat when he or she is impaired by alcohol or other drugs,” he said. “When in doubt, don’t make a foolish, dangerous decision. Give the keys to someone else, phone for a taxi, or call a friend or family member for a ride.
Miller said state police investigated 4,691 alcohol-related crashes last year, a 2-percent increase over 2005.
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