DUI Enforcement Campaign

Project Description

Through funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Safety, Peoria City Council budget approval, and Federal Government Grants our Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Enforcement Campaign continues full force. Funding is also allocated in the operating budget for overtime to combat persons driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Problem Statement

Continuing with the advancements made in the past several years, the Peoria Police Department will maintain enforcement and evaluation of the DUI program. The police department is in the position to properly educate the citizens of Peoria most vulnerable to incidents of drunk driving, strictly enforce a safety campaign to ensure that the streets of Peoria remain safe and free of drunk drivers, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign by statistically analyzing the various factors of drunk driving.

Background

The Peoria Police Department has developed a strong and effective community policing strategy. This DUI campaign works well within the goals of the Community Policing Strategy (COPS) program. Public safety is a priority of COPS and reducing drunk driving is a major component of ensuring a safe community. The Peoria Police Department has conducted numerous educational and prevention programs as part of the grants received in the past years.

Peoria is a thriving, active and expanding community with people and opportunities that make living and working in Peoria very rewarding. The city is the second largest metropolis in the state, with more than 112,000 residents in the city proper and 339,000 in the tri-county area. Peoria is a truly unique mid-western city. It offers residents many amenities of larger cities without the negative aspects of city living. Among the attractions are 12,000 acres of parks and recreation areas. The Illinois River and twin Peoria Lakes place boating, fishing, skiing and other outdoor activities right at its doorstep. Families grow together in Peoria - a city with stable neighborhoods and a commitment to community. Peoria has three large medical centers: Proctor Community Hospital, Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, and Saint Francis Medical Center. All three hospitals are full-service facilities offering medical management, surgical treatment, emergency care, medical education and therapy for all types of trauma or illness.

The Peoria Police Department has been the main component in education and enforcement of previous Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) grants for reducing drunk driving in our community. Commitments to a safer community are listed below.

Youth Traffic Safety Training

The Police Department has been committed to training youth of the community as part of an intensive prevention program. Police officers demonstrate the mobile breathalyzer and give presentations on the DUI arrest procedure. Response to the program has been positive. These programs focus on video presentations, breathalyzer demonstrations, and drunk driving education.

Enforcement Campaign

The Illinois Department of Transportation has provided grant funding and the Peoria City Council has approved budgeted monies for person-hours and equipment. Statistical Analysis indicates a higher incident during certain hours and days of the week so we target those hours with more personnel with a specific task of DUI enforcement. The average DUI processing rate has been two hours for each DUI arrest.

Crash Reenactments

Crash re-enactments have taken place with the cooperation of the Red Cross and detailed assistance of the Peoria Police Department. Enactments have been conducted at Peoria County high schools, also.

Public Awareness Campaigns

Excellent assistance has been offered by the local print and electronic media and is expected to continue. Public Service Announcements have been recorded by Police Department personnel, several interviews have taken place regarding drunk driving and news personnel from local news channels have ridden along with DUI patrols. All of these public awareness efforts have continuously disseminated the message of the dangers and legal implications of drunk driving.

Project Objectives & Past Practices

  • Conduct an average of 25 hours per week, not to exceed 1300 hours per year, of hire back/enhanced DUI patrol.
  • Participate in the National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.
  • Participate in Child Passenger Safety Month, Buckle Up America Month and the Safe and Sober Campaign.
  • Conduct an ongoing public awareness campaign.
  • Conduct programs on alcohol and traffic safety to area youth - targeting at-risk youth programs.
  • Conduct Roadside Safety Checks with many other agencies.
  • Participate in a "Youth-Alcohol Mini-Grant."