Yesterday, the office of Sheriff David Clarke released the one-year results of their initiative to arrest more drunk drivers, called Operation Drive Sober. As of yesterday, the sheriff’s deputies have arrested 237 drunk drivers on the county’s highways since the beginning of this year. This is an increase of a 102 percent, compared to the same time frame in 2012 when 117 arrests were made.
Nearly 160 of this year’s arrests were first-time offenders, who are now the target of proposed legislation that would make driving under the influence with a BAC of more than .15 a misdemeanor charge. Sen. Alberta Darling and Rep. Jim Ott’s proposed bill would also make a third DUI offense a felony, instead of a misdemeanor. Twenty-five of those arrested for DUIs this year would qualify.
But according to a statement released by Sheriff Clarke’s office, “We have enough laws to deter this behavior.” The bill, it claims, “will prevent judges from finding loopholes in handing out stiffer sentences.”
The statement continues, quoting Clarke himself, “‘Some believe you can’t arrest your way out of this problem. We’re going to try until tougher consequences are set.'”
That the onus must be on the county’s judges to hand out tougher sentences is a view Clarke and other conservatives have expressed before.
Image courtesy of the office of Sheriff Clarke.
