DUI Problems Continue in NW ND | Video

Chris Williams | 1/8/2013

Northwest North Dakota has an increasing DUI problem. The highway patrol is part of M.A.E., which stands for Multi Agency Enforcement. The group gets all local law enforcement agencies together and they target certain weekends to try and deter people from drinking and driving.

From 2011 to 2012, the northwest region of the state had a 26 percent increase in the number of DUI related arrests.

"We have had a population increase in that time as well, so there are more people. But I don`t think there`s been that huge influx to justify that type of number increase in the number of people that are impaired, and driving impaired,” said Northwest Commander of the Highway Patrol, Capt. Gary Orluck.

The highway patrol, sheriff`s department and Williston police are coming together this month to try and lower the DUI numbers.

"Our goal is not just to arrest a whole bunch of people, we want to remove the impaired people that our out there. We want to deter people from making that decision to drink and drive,” added Orluck.

During the enforcement weekend, the task force will be adding five extra officers to the road. They will will be working 42 hours of overtime, and will be specifically looking for people driving under the influence. They urge that if you are going to go out and have a drink or two, please have a designated driver.

"We have the opportunity to kind of work both areas. We can be in the city as well, but we`re going to concentrate on being on the outskirts of town, and in the rural areas as well,” Orluck added.

Orluck says around 50 percent of fatal crashes in the northwest region are alcohol related. "If we could just convince people not to drink and drive we would lower that fatality rate significantly.”

The extra officers will be out on the weekends of January 18th and 25th.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY