If you have more Wild Turkey than actual turkey this Thanksgiving Day, make sure you have a designated driver to drive you home.
It’s more crucial than ever since law enforcement throughout Colorado plans to beef up DUI patrols during Thanksgiving weekend 2012.
The increased patrols are the result of a program called The Heat is On that specifically targets drunk drivers with additional officers, checkpoints and saturation patrols. The Heat is On is overseen by the Colorado Department of Transportation and is run on grants given to state and local police departments to fund officers working overtime DUI enforcement.
Fatal Alcohol-Related Accidents in Colorado
Every year, 150 people are killed in alcohol-related crashes in Colorado. That makes up 1/3 of all traffic fatalities. Police hope that programs like The Heat is On will help put a stop to those tragedies and encourage those planning to drink and drive to rethink their decision.
Which Police Departments are Participating?
Most local and county police departments participating in The Heat is On will have extra officers working DUI enforcement throughout Thanksgiving weekend, or 11/20 through 11/26. Patrols typically begin around 6 p.m. and end around 3 a.m. in most jurisdictions.
Adams County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Alamosa Police Department – Increased patrol
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office – Saturation patrol
Arvada Police Department – Increased patrol
Aspen Police Department – Will not be participating in this enforcement period.
Auraria Campus Police Department – One overtime officer working increased patrols + on-duty officers working DUI saturation patrols.
Aurora Police Department – Saturation patrol
Baca County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Basalt Police Department – Saturation patrol
Bayfield Marshal’s Office – Increased patrol
Boulder County Sheriff’s Office – Increased traffic & DUI patrol
Brighton Police Department – Increased patrol
Broomfield Police Department – Increased patrols with heightened awareness of DUI drivers.
Calhan Police Department – Increased patrol
Castle Rock Police Department – Saturation patrol
Colorado Springs Police Department – Increased patrol
Colorado State University Police – Saturation patrol
Craig Police Department – Increased patrol
Crested Butte Marshal’s Office – Increased patrol
Dacono Police Department – Increased patrol
Del Norte Police Department – Saturation patrol
Denver Police Department – Increased patrol
Dillon Police Department – Increased patrol
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Durango Police Department – Increased patrol
Eagle County Sheriff’s Office – Saturation patrol
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Englewood Police Department –Increased patrol
Evans Police Department – Increased patrol
Firestone Police Department – Increased patrol with main emphasis on Hwy 119 from WCR 3 to WCR 19, and Colorado Blvd. Other areas will include Old Town Firestone, WCR 11, 15, and Frontage Road.
Fort Collins Police Department – Saturation patrols with a focus on the downtown area, where there is a high concentration of liquor establishments.
Fort Lupton Police Department – Increased patrol
Fountain Police Department – Increased patrol
Fraser/Winter Park Police Department – Increased patrol
Fremont County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Frisco Police Department – Increased patrol
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Glenwood Springs Police Department – Increased patrol
Grand Junction Police Department – Increased patrol
Green Mountain Falls Police Department – Saturation patrol
Greenwood Village Police Department – Increased patrol
Haxtun Police Department – Saturation patrol
Idaho Springs Police Department – Increased patrol
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office – Saturation patrol
Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Lafayette Police Department – Saturation patrol
Lakewood Police Department – Saturation patrol
Larimer County Sheriff’s Office – Saturation patrol
Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office – Saturation patrol
Littleton Police Department – Saturation patrol
Logan County Sheriff’s Office – Saturation patrol
Lone Tree Police Department – Increased patrol
Longmont Police Department – Increased patrol
Loveland Police Department – Increased patrol
Manitou Springs Police Department – Increased patrol
Manzanola Police Department – Increased patrol
Mesa County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Monte Vista Apartment – Increased patrol
Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Northglenn Police Department – Increased patrol
Pagosa Springs Police Department – Increased patrol
Park County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Pueblo Police Department – Increased patrol
Silverthorne Police Department – Increased patrol
Snowmass Village Police Department – Increased patrol
Steamboat Springs Police Department – Increased patrol
Sterling Police Department – Increased patrol
Summit County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Summit County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Thornton Police Department – Saturation patrol
Walsenburg Police Department – Saturation patrol
Washington County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Weld County Sheriff’s Office – Increased patrol
Westminster Police Department – Increased patrol
Wheat Ridge Police Department – Increased patrol
Woodland Park Police Department – Increased patrol
Colorado State Police are also participating in The Heat is On. Like local police departments, most state DUI patrols begin at 6 p.m. and end at 3 a.m. throughout Thanksgiving week.
Limon – Increased patrol
Castle Rock – Saturation patrol
Adams County – Saturation patrol on roads identified as having a high number of crashes involving impaired drivers.
Canon City – Increased patrol
Colorado Springs – Increased patrol
Lamar – Saturation patrol
Pueblo – Increased patrol
Gaming (Cripple Creek) – Increased patrol
Greeley – Saturation patrol
Sterling – Saturation patrol
Fort Collins – Increased patrol
Fruita – Saturation patrols from 11/20 through 11/26. Fruita will also have a DUI checkpoint on 11/23 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Craig – Increased patrols
Glenwood Springs – Saturation patrol
Durango – Increased patrol
Alamosa – Increased patrol
Montrose – Increased patrol
Golden – Increased patrols in areas known to have a higher rate of DUI caused injury and fatal crashes.
Frisco – Increased patrol
Broomfield – Saturation patrols on highways in Boulder County.
Gaming (Blackhawk-Central City) – Increased patrol
“What are Saturation Patrols?”
Saturation patrols focus on one stretch of road. Officers working saturation patrols focus on an area where there are traditionally a high amount of DUI arrests or traffic fatalities. Saturation patrols are usually more successful than DUI checkpoints.
How The Heat is On Deters Drunk Driving
The Heat is On is designed to be a high-visibility campaign. Visibility of DUI enforcement patrols acts as a deterrent to drunk driving. If people see a number of police cars on their way to grandma’s Thanksgiving dinner, they are less likely to overindulge in alcohol and drive while intoxicated.
Contact a DUI Attorney in Colorado
More than 26,000 people are arrested for DUI in Colorado every year. If you were arrested for an alcohol-related offense, you need a DUI attorney in Colorado to defend your interests in court. Sobriety tests, breathalyzers, and even blood tests are all subject to human error. An experienced in DUI attorney has the ability to properly analyze the evidence in your case.
