The Springfield Police Department will crack down hard on drunk driving this month. It’s planning increased enforcement, which will include at least one DWI checkpoint, in August.
The checkpoint will be funded by a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation. According to a news release, in 2013, the SPD worked over 2,190 hours related to this grant. These directed enforcement efforts yielded 190 DWI arrests, 903 traffic citations, 41 drug arrests, 33 felony arrests, five stolen vehicles recovered and 63 fugitive apprehensions. An additional 878 DWI arrests, which were not part of directed enforcement efforts, were made throughout the year.
According to the police department, consequences of drunk driving include jail time, loss of driving privileges, sentencing to use ignition interlocks and increased insurance rates. Financial losses include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work and the potential loss of a job.
