Sue Doyle
COSTA MESA -- It may be late for a New Year's resolution, but the
Costa Mesa Police Department has announced a new goal: to pull in at
least 706 drunk driving arrests by June 2001.
That's a 10% increase from the 642 drunk driving arrests made in 1998,
the year authorities will use to compare statistics, said Costa Mesa
Police Lt. Dale Birney, of the department's traffic division.
Thanks to a $91,800 federal grant for traffic safety, the department
can add extra patrols and equipment.
"We arrest a lot on suspicion of driving under the influence," Birney
said. "I thought we could improve on areas of safety in that respect."
Since 1987, the department has utilized two officers specifically
trained to search the streets for drunk drivers. The grant will allow one
additional "DUI team" of two officers working overtime. They'll work from
7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays in July, August, November and
December. Extra patrols begin today.
Also, six additional drunk driving checkpoints will be set up through
next June. The first two are in September and October. Police have not
scheduled dates or locations for the checkpoints yet, but will announce
them in advance, Birney said.
Police hope an increase in drunk driving arrests will result in a 10%
decrease of car crashes -- another goal attached to the grant.
In 1998, there were 1,903 traffic accidents.
Officers have their eyes on speeders, too. Approximately 346 people
were either killed or injured in car crashes related to speeding in 1998.
Police expect a 10% decline in accidents caused by speeding by next June.
To help officers spot speeders, the department will station a new
trailer that displays drivers' speeds, rotating it along different
streets. There's already one in the city, but many residents have
complained about speeders, so the department arranged for an additional
trailer.
