Police keeping tab on DUIs

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.”

Zeeman said police officers must be more than just enforcers. He has no ticket quotas or goals in terms of arrests. Instead, he aims to reduce drastically the number of DUI collisions and those killed or injured in them, and accomplishing that means working with those outside of the department.

“If there is a bar with multiple arrests or alcohol-related problems, they are going to get a call from (Alcoholic Beverage Control),” Zeeman said.

ABC can revoke or suspend any establishment’s liquor license — usually through the recommendation of local law enforcement and the investigations and enforcement of police vice units.

The intensified police presence could mean a mixed bag for local bar owners. Safer streets are good for everyone, but more police could mean fewer drinks sold, or merchants losing liquor licenses if caught overserving.

“The old days of serving drinks and getting people drunk is over,” Arches owner Dan Marcheano said. “I don’t want drunks. The serious people in this industry don’t serve people to get drunk. Unfortunately, too many operators don’t get the picture.”

Some bar owners, while agreeing that DUIs are a problem, believe bars and restaurants are limited in their power to address the problem. Malarkey’s owner Bill Hamilton Jr. is one of those.

“It’s all on the patrons,” said Hamilton. “We all have to be responsible for our actions sooner or later.”

Hamilton stresses that his bar doesn’t intend to overserve, but it happens when friends buy others drinks. He added that in a crowded bar, it is difficult to differentiate who is intoxicated from who is sober. A stronger police presence, he acknowledged, could slash profits.

“They had very stringent enforcement this summer, and our sales were down,” Hamilton said. “It all depends on how stringent he is. It’s not against the law to get anyone drunk; it is against the law to serve anyone ‘obviously intoxicated,’ a pretty vague term.”

Zeeman wants his presence felt. In December, he will get a car that is tailored just for this assignment. It will read “DUI enforcement,” and he wants the message out that the department is serious about neutralizing the problem. Preventing drunk people from driving is the key, not just catching the ones who do drive.

“Bars can call us,” Zeeman said. “If we see someone stumbling, we want to get them before they drive, find them a cab or some other way home.”

The education literature reinforces the plan. On cards and fliers, “DUI” stretches across the top like a headline. Underneath: “Can you pay the price” and a “$13,500” price tag, the average cost of a DUI.

On the back are tips to avoid drinking and driving, cab service numbers and more costs related to DUIs. Boxes of the fliers and cards were given to bar and restaurant owners last week at an educational meeting.

The grant pays for Zeeman’s duties for two years — 100% the first and 50% the second. At the end of that term, Zeeman hopes for two things: the city picks up the bill to continue his patrol and that alcohol-related collisions are down, but he knows he can’t do it alone.

“Links between community, Police Department and city is the only way to combat the problem,” Zeeman said. “Word-of-mouth is powerful here.”

Safety Tips from Mothers Against Drunk Driving

 If you drink, don’t drive, no matter how little you think you have had

 Designate a driver before you attend an event or party

 If hosting a party, make sure to set rules on drinking and driving. Offer to provide a ride home or a place for guests who drink to sleep

 Wear a red ribbon during the holidays to increase awareness of the drinking and driving problem

 If possible, avoid driving during the early and late evening hours on holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve

 Protect yourself and passengers by wearing a safety belt at all times

 Use resources such as public transit and cab services

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at daniel.tedford@latimes.com.