Local police cracking down on DUI

In the weeks before New Year’s Eve, local police agencies have been working hard to send a strong message against drunk driving.

A multi-agency task force, coordinated by the Costa Mesa Police Department, is patrolling the streets and looking for those driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

So far, the operation’s been a success, said Costa Mesa Police Chief John Hensley.

“Things are going very well.... The numbers [of arrests], unfortunately, have been high,” Hensley said.

The task force has made 13 DUI arrests, impounded 8 vehicles and issued more than a dozen citations for open containers of alcohol in vehicles, said Costa Mesa Traffic Sgt. Rich Allum.

This is the first year for a DUI task force comprised of several agencies, Hensley said. Costa Mesa police contacted area police departments and invited them to participate in the task force, Hensley said.

“The Costa Mesa Police Department decided that having a task force to work DUI would be a good thing for this region,” Hensley said.

This year’s task force includes members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Laguna Beach Police Department, Irvine Police Department, UC Irvine Police Department and the California Highway Patrol.

Working together is a learning opportunity and a chance to share ideas and resources, Allum said. It also enhances the public’s safety, he said.

The task force will continue their work through Friday, stopping just short of New Year’s Eve. Local agencies have their own plan for how to handle drunk driving enforcement on New Year’s Eve, Hensley said.

For Costa Mesa police, the holiday task force is supplemental to a year-round DUI enforcement team that has been operating for more than 15 years, Allum said.

The Newport Beach Police Department also boosted DUI patrols in time for the holidays, adding a year-round enforcement team earlier this month. With the help of a more than $298,000 grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety, the DUI team will patrol the streets specifically for drunk drivers Wednesday through Saturday.