COLORADO — The Colorado Department of Transportation announced a total of 2,999 DUI arrests were made between Memorial Day and Labor Day this year.
This was part of "The Heat is On" summer campaign that CDOT, Colorado State Patrol and local law agencies were involved in. The numbers this year is an 11% increase from last year's 2,663 arrests made during the summer.
The highest number of arrests were made in the Pikes Peak region by the Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff's Office with a combined 283 arrests, according to the report.
CDOT said the campaign had six "high visibility enforcement periods" that were meant to make sure Coloradans get home safely.
“Last year, 63 people tragically died in alcohol-related crashes in Colorado from June to August. Impaired drivers not only risk an arrest for DUI — they put the lives of everyone on the road in danger,” Shoshana Lew, CDOT executive director, said in a press release. "These enforcement periods get impaired drivers off our roads, which ultimately saves lives. All people traveling on Colorado roads should get to their destinations safely.”
Even though this summer enforcement period is complete, CDOT and the other agencies will continue through the fall with the "Fall Festivals" enforcement period that will last five weeks.
These enforcement periods are part of a larger CDOT initiative called "Whole System - Whole Safety." For more information on the initiative, click here.
CDOT DUI arrest breakdown:
Memorial Day - 323 arrests made over a four-day period
- Highest arrest total: Colorado Springs Police Department (32)
Summer Blitz - 585 arrests made over a 10-day period
- Highest arrest total: Colorado Springs Police Department (52)
Fourth of July - 311 arrests made over a five-day period
- Highest arrest total: El Paso County Sheriff's Office (47)
Summer Strikeout - 482 arrests made over a 10-day period
- Highest arrest total: El Paso County Sheriff's Office (48)
Sturgis Rally - 399 arrests made over a 10-day period
- Highest arrest total: Colorado Springs Police Department (47)
Labor Day crackdown - 899 arrests made over an 18-day period
- Highest arrest total: Denver Police Department (106)
