Police keeping tab on DUIs

This corrects an earlier version of this story.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a two-part series. Next Sunday, we will focus on the DUI problem in Costa Mesa.

Officer Troy Zeeman rolls through the Balboa Peninsula area, where watering holes brim with drinkers.

Zeeman knows most of the owners and managers by name. He waves to the patrons on the street.

Later in Corona del Mar, he gives Ashley Fairbanks, the general manager of The Landmark, a hug and hello. But despite the friendly relationships, Zeeman isn’t here to make nice.

He’s here for safety’s sake.

Drunken driving has become a focal point for Newport Beach police. The city ranked first per capita in the state in injuries in alcohol-related collisions in 2005 with 111. That number dropped to 99 injuries in 2006, and the number of DUI arrests jumped from 385 in 2005 to 597 in 2006.

Authorities have a plan to get dangerous drivers off the road, but it’s a tall order. With 305 licensed alcohol establishments, Newport Beach is a party investment for many out-of-towners — 70% of 2006’s DUI arrestees were residents of other cities.

Working with Orange County Public Health, the Newport Beach Police Department has been scheming to unleash an education campaign to curb drunken driving in the area.

Literature is being distributed, and police are enlisting the help of local bars and restaurants. “The city of Newport Beach can’t do this by themselves,” said Lt. Steve Shulman, traffic division commander for the Newport Beach Police Department. Shulman is leading the effort to confront drunken driving.

“This has to be a joint effort and a change in culture. We are hoping the attitude of the general public will change.”

The California Office of Traffic Safety has handed down a $532,000 grant for traffic enforcement, which allowed police to hire an officer to focus solely on speeding, red-light and DUI enforcement, including DUI saturation patrols on Friday and Saturday nights.

“We have an obligation to the community to keep people safe,” said Zeeman, who was a 10-year veteran at LAPD before coming to Newport about a year ago. “We are taking an active role.”