CRIME:DWI arrest rates telling of enforcement, education
CRIME:DWI arrest rates telling of enforcement, education
By Daniel Pye
E-mail Dan
On top of legal fees in the range of $2,500, New York state is finding myriad ways to punish the drunken driver’s wallet.
In 2003, then-Gov. George Pataki lowered the legal level of blood alcohol content from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent in keeping with what had been done in other states. Conviction over that limit carries a fine of at least $500, a $395 state-imposed surcharge and a minimum six-month license suspension.
But that’s just the start. Those lucky enough to get a conditional license to go to and from work have to pay the Department of Motor Vehicles $75 for the privilege. The DMV also requires offenders to enroll in a Drinking Driver Program class to get the conditional license, adding another $225 to the bill.
If the program decides an offender needs to seek treatment for alcohol abuse, medical bills can also be heaped on. Even after the driver gets his or her license back, the DMV charges a driver responsibility fee of $225 each year for three years. Not to mention the problems a DWI conviction causes in getting car insurance or applying for work.
Of course, the fiscal drawbacks are only part of the story. Property damage, injuries and deaths are often the result when drinking and driving are mixed.
But despite the penalties and risks, people still get behind the wheel after having one (or a few) too many drinks. That’s where law enforcement steps in, and officers from each of the Tonawandas have reviewed their department’s 2008 DWI numbers to lend insight to the trends in their respective areas.
North Tonawanda
Total arrests for DWI dropped 9.4 percent last year in North Tonawanda, from 168 in 2007 down to 152 in 2008. Police Chief Randy Szukala said while he can’t say for sure why there seems to be less drunken drivers on the road, he likes to think it’s a combination of education and enforcement.
“Whether it’s people realizing they could hurt somebody or just knowing they could lose so much money, I don’t know,” Szukala said. “Either way, it’s a victory.”
The drop has been precipitous over the last 10 years, due in part to tightened restrictions, Szukala said. Before fines were increased and the legal limit for blood alcohol content lowered, seeing 500 or more DWI arrests each year wasn’t uncommon.
Now that people are more aware of the price they and others could pay for the behavior, the list of names associated with DWI has become more like a cast of regulars than fresh faces, Szukala said.
“They’re still out there,” Szukala said. “You see quite a few repeat offenders, people who are blatantly disobeying the law no matter what you do. Lots of them don’t even have licenses because they’ve been suspended for previous offenses. But we’re seeing fewer new cases.”
City of Tonawanda
A trip across the canal paints a somewhat different picture. In the City of Tonawanda, police saw a 19.5 percent increase in DWI arrests over the previous year.
Lt. Fred Foels said that’s only part of the story, with nearly 50 percent of those arrests adding an accompanying drug charge, be it for marijuana, cocaine or an increasing prevalence of prescription drugs.
But the news isn’t all bad, despite the numbers. With the country investing heavily in memorable advertisements that advise against drunk driving, Foels said awareness of the risks is up. But enforcement has also gotten a bump, especially from Erie County’s Stop DWI program, which could explain the raise in arrests to a certain degree, Foels said.
“From time to time we’ll take part in a blitz, like after a Bills game,” Foels said.
Only time will tell whether the crackdown will result in a lower rate of arrests, but Foels said he’s seen signs of improvement. It’s becoming more common to see bikes parked in front of bars when summer weather rolls around, and cabs are lined up in the streets at closing time year-round. With the price a drinker would pay in time, money and reputation after a DWI, the cost of a cab is well worth the investment, Foels said.
“You can go out and have a great time, but have a DD,” Foels said.
Town of Tonawanda
While not quite as sharp as the jump in the city, Town of Tonawanda police saw their DWI numbers shoot up 16.4 percent as well.
Like Foels, Lt. Nick Bado said the county funding for DWI patrols was likely a contributor to the rise in arrests.
“That funding helps us have extra patrols specifically dedicated to DWI stops, particularly after sporting events or on major holidays,” Bado said. “Right now, in fact, we’re putting together something for the Super Bowl.”
Ordinarily, a patrolman has to answer all sorts of calls, only a fraction of which are related to drinking and driving. Through county programs, departments can pay officers overtime for extra patrols to keep a particular lookout for erratic drivers.
“Things like that definitely give us more time for dedicated enforcement,” Bado said.
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By Daniel Pye
E-mail Dan
The Tonawanda News
On top of legal fees in the range of $2,500, New York state is finding myriad ways to punish the drunken driver’s wallet.
In 2003, then-Gov. George Pataki lowered the legal level of blood alcohol content from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent in keeping with what had been done in other states. Conviction over that limit carries a fine of at least $500, a $395 state-imposed surcharge and a minimum six-month license suspension.
But that’s just the start. Those lucky enough to get a conditional license to go to and from work have to pay the Department of Motor Vehicles $75 for the privilege. The DMV also requires offenders to enroll in a Drinking Driver Program class to get the conditional license, adding another $225 to the bill.
If the program decides an offender needs to seek treatment for alcohol abuse, medical bills can also be heaped on. Even after the driver gets his or her license back, the DMV charges a driver responsibility fee of $225 each year for three years. Not to mention the problems a DWI conviction causes in getting car insurance or applying for work.
Of course, the fiscal drawbacks are only part of the story. Property damage, injuries and deaths are often the result when drinking and driving are mixed.
But despite the penalties and risks, people still get behind the wheel after having one (or a few) too many drinks. That’s where law enforcement steps in, and officers from each of the Tonawandas have reviewed their department’s 2008 DWI numbers to lend insight to the trends in their respective areas.
North Tonawanda
Total arrests for DWI dropped 9.4 percent last year in North Tonawanda, from 168 in 2007 down to 152 in 2008. Police Chief Randy Szukala said while he can’t say for sure why there seems to be less drunken drivers on the road, he likes to think it’s a combination of education and enforcement.
“Whether it’s people realizing they could hurt somebody or just knowing they could lose so much money, I don’t know,” Szukala said. “Either way, it’s a victory.”
The drop has been precipitous over the last 10 years, due in part to tightened restrictions, Szukala said. Before fines were increased and the legal limit for blood alcohol content lowered, seeing 500 or more DWI arrests each year wasn’t uncommon.
Now that people are more aware of the price they and others could pay for the behavior, the list of names associated with DWI has become more like a cast of regulars than fresh faces, Szukala said.
“They’re still out there,” Szukala said. “You see quite a few repeat offenders, people who are blatantly disobeying the law no matter what you do. Lots of them don’t even have licenses because they’ve been suspended for previous offenses. But we’re seeing fewer new cases.”
City of Tonawanda
A trip across the canal paints a somewhat different picture. In the City of Tonawanda, police saw a 19.5 percent increase in DWI arrests over the previous year.
Lt. Fred Foels said that’s only part of the story, with nearly 50 percent of those arrests adding an accompanying drug charge, be it for marijuana, cocaine or an increasing prevalence of prescription drugs.
But the news isn’t all bad, despite the numbers. With the country investing heavily in memorable advertisements that advise against drunk driving, Foels said awareness of the risks is up. But enforcement has also gotten a bump, especially from Erie County’s Stop DWI program, which could explain the raise in arrests to a certain degree, Foels said.
“From time to time we’ll take part in a blitz, like after a Bills game,” Foels said.
Only time will tell whether the crackdown will result in a lower rate of arrests, but Foels said he’s seen signs of improvement. It’s becoming more common to see bikes parked in front of bars when summer weather rolls around, and cabs are lined up in the streets at closing time year-round. With the price a drinker would pay in time, money and reputation after a DWI, the cost of a cab is well worth the investment, Foels said.
“You can go out and have a great time, but have a DD,” Foels said.
Town of Tonawanda
While not quite as sharp as the jump in the city, Town of Tonawanda police saw their DWI numbers shoot up 16.4 percent as well.
Like Foels, Lt. Nick Bado said the county funding for DWI patrols was likely a contributor to the rise in arrests.
“That funding helps us have extra patrols specifically dedicated to DWI stops, particularly after sporting events or on major holidays,” Bado said. “Right now, in fact, we’re putting together something for the Super Bowl.”
Ordinarily, a patrolman has to answer all sorts of calls, only a fraction of which are related to drinking and driving. Through county programs, departments can pay officers overtime for extra patrols to keep a particular lookout for erratic drivers.
“Things like that definitely give us more time for dedicated enforcement,” Bado said.
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