Newport police step up DUI patrols

Newport Beach police are clamping down on drunk drivers. And it’s not just in anticipation of the holiday party season.

Beginning this month, with the help of a more than $298,000 grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety, the Newport Beach Police Department will add a year-round DUI enforcement team to patrol the streets specifically for drunk drivers.

Police normally increase DUI patrols during the holidays, but this special enforcement team is here to stay. Though increased holiday patrols are important, it’s consistent enforcement that solves problems, said Reidel Post, executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Orange County.

“It’s ongoing enforcement that makes the difference that we need,” Post said.

The enforcement teams will patrol evening hours Wednesday through Saturday, said Newport Police Lt. Tom Gazsi.

Because the enforcement teams are funded by a grant, the officers do not respond to other calls for service unless it’s an emergency, Gazsi said.

“They are specifically looking for erratic behavior regarding driving,” Gazsi said.

Police cannot stop a driver without probable cause, but there are several indications that a driver is impaired. Someone who is driving too fast, too slow, following another car closely, drifting or failing to signal are signs of a possible drunk driver, Gazsi said.

Driving under the influence is one of the most frequent arrests made by Newport Police, said Newport Police Sgt. Bill Hartford.

The high number of DUI arrests can be attributed to the city being a resort location where there are many licensed alcohol establishments, he said.

Law enforcement plays a key role in keeping down the number of automobile deaths due to drunk drivers, and DUI enforcement teams, such as the Newport police team, send a strong message to the community, Post said.

“The public needs to recognize that if they drive impaired they’re going to be apprehended. These sorts of DUI teams do exactly that,” Post said.

The grant will also make it possible for police to expand the drunk driving prevention education in the community, including public service announcements and school programs such as DARE and Every 15 Minutes.