Police step up holiday patrols for drunk drivers

Several local law enforcement agencies in the Tri-parish area have made a combined total of more than 89 DWI arrests since the start of the holiday season and, so far, no lives have been lost due to drunk drivers.

“Getting impaired drivers off the road is a community-wide effort,” said Louisiana State Police Troop C spokesman Evan Harrell. “That means everyone from a law enforcement officer making a traffic stop to the motorist dialing 911 or *LSP (*577) to report an impaired driver. We are proud to continuously partner with our neighboring law enforcement agencies and communities to ensure this holiday season is a safe and happy one.”

Since the start of the holiday season, officers from Troop C have made more than 35 DWI arrests, and the agency will have one detail per day for the rest of the season in addition to regular patrols.

“We have had 28 details since the start of our Zero for December campaign,” Harrell said. “We have had five DWI details and five occupant details, which were all federally funded. We have also had 18 of our own details to target for DWIs, speeding, texting while driving and nighttime seatbelt checks.”

Although there have been no lives lost locally due to drunk drivers this holiday season, the Zero for December, a campaign aimed at having a traffic fatality-free holiday season, has not been so fortunate – Troop C has had worked three fatal accidents since Nov. 22, two in Terrebonne Parish and one in St. James Parish. Statewide, LSP has worked 27 fatal crashes this month and these crashes resulted in 30 deaths.

In addition to the Zero for December campaign, Louisiana is also participating in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign during the holiday season. The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission has presented grants to about 60 state law enforcement agencies to fund increased police patrols and sobriety checkpoints.

“Spending the night behind bars is a sure way to put a damper on your holiday,” said Lt. Col. John LeBlanc, executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, in a printed statement. “In recent years, Louisiana’s highway fatality rate has been going down, and we hope to continue that trend during the last days of this year.

“We believe that at least a part of the decline in deaths results from greater awareness among drivers of the dangers and consequences of driving under the influence.”

Consequences for drunk drivers in Louisiana are substantial, and first time offenders face more than $1,000 in fines, court costs, attorneys’ fees and increased insurance premiums.

For those who break the DWI rules a second time, Louisiana law mandates a 15-day jail sentence for those caught driving with a license that has been suspended for a previous DWI conviction.

Those who refuse to take a blood alcohol concentration test during a DWI arrest may have his or her license suspended for one year. Anyone convicted of a DWI offense must also install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle for one year, if they are granted a hardship license.

In 2011, more than 30,000 people across the state were arrested for DWI, and alcohol played a part in 41 percent of fatal crashes in the state, down from 45 percent in 2010. Most of the drivers killed in these crashes were males.

In addition to Troop C’s efforts to keep drunk drivers off the road during the holidays, Tri-parish area sheriff’s departments and city police departments are also stepping up to the plate to catch drunk drivers.

“We’ve made nine DWI arrests since Thanksgiving,” said Houma Police Chief Todd Duplantis. “We will have extra patrols out during the holiday season, including seat belt operations, saturation patrols at shopping centers and DWI patrols.”

The department’s increased patrols are funded by grants from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

Like HPD, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has also increased patrols on the roads and in parking lots across the parish.

“We have been checking shopping center parking lots for people parked in fire lanes and handicap zones, and we have issued a few citations for these violations,” said spokesman Brennan Matherne. “We also want to help increase awareness around businesses and help store owners deter shoplifters.”

LPSO has been ramping up its DWI enforcement since the start of the holiday season, and the department recently participated in a joint DWI checkpoint with Thibodaux Police Department and LSP Troop C.

“The checkpoint netted 18 DWI arrests,” Matherne said. “We have charged around 30 people with DWI since Thanksgiving, and we expect more over the holidays.

“People make bad decisions leaving holiday parties and such. Rethink your decision before you hit the road. Consider your family and other families,” he added.

The LPSO will host its own DWI checkpoint on Saturday, Dec. 29 and will continue its efforts through the end of the holiday season.

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Department has issued 10 DWI citiations since Nov. 22.

“Our year-long details are funded by a federal highway safety commission grant,” said Capt. Dawn Foret. “This grant helps us conduct DWI and seatbelt checks, but we always beef up patrols for DWIs around the holidays.”

Over in St. Mary Parish, the local sheriff’s department will monitor traffic on the parish’s main drag, U.S. Highway 90, and the parish’s back roads.

“We don’t increase the number of patrols, but our officers are out there in force,” said sheriff’s office spokeswoman Traci Landry. “The sheriff’s office is always diligent in looking out for drunk and impaired drivers. We encourage anyone who sees a suspicious or reckless driver to contact us.”

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office has made five DWI arrests since the start of the holiday season, according to Landry.

Officers from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office conduct a DWI checkpoint. The LPSO will host a DWI checkpoint on Saturday, Dec. 29 and will continue its efforts through the end of the holiday season.

COURTESY PHOTO