The Heat Is On

The Heat Is On Makes Almost 10,000 Arrests in 2018

 The weather outside is frightful, but the fire may not be so delightful when The Heat Is On for Colorado impaired drivers. Colorado law enforcement agencies will boost DUI enforcement with increased officers on duty and saturation patrols from Friday, Jan. 18 through Jan. 28.

During this period law enforcement dedicates additional resources to arrest drivers under the influence of alcohol, cannabis or other drugs.

The Winter Blitz enforcement is the first of 15 specified enforcement periods held in Colorado throughout the year. Officers arrested 608 impaired drivers during the Winter Blitz enforcement last year.

A press release from the Colorado Department of Transportation notes, “Coloradans are enjoying their favorite winter sports and activities,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT. “Our goal is to help all road users stay safe from those who drive impaired and put everyone at risk.”

The goal of the blitz is to keep people safe on the road. “We strive to keep impaired drivers off Colorado roadways throughout the year,” said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of CSP. “These enforcement periods are meant to deter drivers from making the poor decision to drive after consuming alcohol or drugs. Sadly, the data shows thousands of people still drive impaired.”

Just the Facts

• During the final enforcement period of 2018, over 100 law enforcement agencies took part in the 2018 New Year’s Eve enforcement campaign, arresting 332 drivers for DUI.
• The Colorado Springs Police Department (24 arrests) and Denver Police Department (24 arrests) recorded the highest arrest totals.
• CSP arrested an additional 60 DUI offenders across the state.
• During the 14 The Heat Is On DUI enforcement periods in 2018, law enforcement arrested 9,687 drivers for DUI. This number is down slightly from the 10,271 arrests made in 2017.
• Over the course of the 185 heightened enforcement days, it made an average of 52 DUI arrests each day.
• Preliminary data shows 216 people died in impaired-related crashes on Colorado roads in 2018, which includes alcohol and other drugs.

The CDOT Highway Safety Office funds Colorado law enforcement for impaired-driving enforcement, education and awareness campaigns. The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year, with 15 specific high-visibility impaired-driving enforcement periods centered on national holidays and large public events. Enforcement periods can include sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to impaired-driving enforcement. Find more details about the campaign, including impaired-driving enforcement plans, arrest totals and safety tips at HeatIsOnColorado.com. It can find comprehensive results from all taking part agencies at bit.ly/CDOT-HIO. The law enforcement agency, county, and enforcement period can sort arrest data.