Published: September 22, 2007 10:53 pm         

City, county DUI arrest numbers up in 2007

The number of DUI arrests made this year by Enid Police Department and Garfield County Sheriff’s Office have increased, compared to numbers from 2006.

Both agencies cite increased training of officers as a reason for the increase of arrests for a crime that is easily avoidable.

“We would be happy if we didn’t have any,” said EPD Capt. Dean Grassino of DUI arrests. “I don’t think that is ever going to happen.

“This is something that could be easily prevented if people would exercise better judgment.”



On the streets of the city



Between January and June, Enid police officers have made 75 DUI arrests, compared to 51 for the same period last year, according to EPD arrest figures.

Those 24 more arrests so far this year account for about a 47 percent increase in DUI arrests. In the first six months of 2007, EPD officers have made 54 fewer DUI arrests than last year.

Grassino attributes the increase to further standard field sobriety training (SFST) for Enid officers.

“We are catching more people,” Grassino said.

He said new EPD officers are required to complete a “rigorous” in-house SFST course. All new officers in the department must be certified in SFST training.

“I think that is a direct correlation,” Grassino said.

He said 85 percent of EPD officers are SFST certified.

“One of our goals would be to get 100 percent trained.”



Out in the countryside



Garfield County Under-sheriff Jerry Niles said the sheriff’s office has made 83 DUI arrests so far this year.

“It’s an increase,” he said. “Definitely more than what we did last year.”

In 2006, Niles said the office made 23 DUI-related arrests.

“We’ll probably end up tripling what we did last year,” Niles said.

He said more deputies on patrol, more training and more focused attention of DUI enforcement resulted in the increased number of arrests.

“It’s always been a cornerstone of our job,” Niles said of DUI enforcement. “We’ve increased or tried to focus on DUI apprehension.”

There are five members of the sheriff’s office who are SFST certified, Niles said.

With extra staffing, Niles said, one deputy is able to focus on DUI enforcement.

“It helps tremendously,” Niles said. “With additional staffing they’re able to focus on DUIs.”

However, Niles said, “It is not going to take away from priority calls.”

Of the 83 DUI arrests the sheriff’s office made this year, Niles said 25 percent were made in rural areas, and the remaining 75 were made in urban areas.

According to jail records, more than 325 people have been booked in on alcohol-related charges this year.

“Overall, that’s an increase over the last couple of years,” Niles said.



Taking the training



In March, 25 officers from Enid, North Enid and Waukomis police departments, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office and Vance Air Force Base 71st Security Squadron took a three-day SFST training course at Vance.

Officers tested intoxicated volunteers in a controlled setting and saw the effects of alcohol on motor skills and nystagmus, or the movement of the eyes following an object.

“Departments that have officers trained in SFST are a lot more effective in detecting DUIs,” said EPD Lt. Eric Holtzclaw. “It is a very serious crime because lives are involved. We are committed to reducing the amount of drunk drivers on the road.”

In July, Oklahoma’s Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training, began requiring SFST training as part of its basic academy.

Those who see a suspected drunk driver on the road should call 911 and remain on the line, Holtzclaw said.

Callers should get the vehicle’s tag number and a description and follow at a safe distance until an officer arrives in the area.