UMPD Arrest 37 People During DWI Crackdown

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The University of Minnesota Police Department said they arrested 37 people as part of a statewide DWI enforcement.

The UMPD along with the Minneapolis Police Department said they arrested an average of two impaired drivers a day from Dec. 1 through Dec. 17.

About 400 statewide law enforcement agencies participated in the effort conducted by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Office of Traffic Safety.

Minneapolis Police Sgts. William Palmer and Scott Olson said alcohol-related crashes accounted for 49 deaths and 96 serious injuries in Hennepin County during 2008-2010.

They said during that period there were 20,589 people arrested for DWI. The economic impact of alcohol-related fatalities and injuries in the county was $65,915,000.

A state program targeting the Minnesota counties with the highest combined number of alcohol-related incidents continues in 2012.

"Many motorists continue to make the potentially deadly decision to drive impaired, that's why DWI enforcement is essential to preventing and stopping alcohol-related crashes," said Sgt. Olson. "If you can't make a smart decision to plan for a safe way home, we are going to make sure you face the consequences before you do serious damage."

Consequences for a DWI include loss of license for up to a year, up to $20,000 in legal costs and heightened insurance rates, and possible jail time.

In the past 5 years, there were 170 alcohol-related traffic deaths each year in on average in Minnesota. That is about a third of all road deaths annually.