Downtown Tucson at night.The Tucson Police Department’s full 10-person DUI squad will be on patrol this weekend in an effort to step up enforcement during New Year's celebrations.
An additional 10 officers from other divisions will likely be assigned to the team to help identify drivers who have been drinking, TPD Sergeant Terry O'Hara said.
Among the signs of drinking and driving, O’Hara said, are “speed and braking problems, vigilance problems, judgment problems and problems maintaining proper lane position.”
He said officers will be concentrated in the university and downtown areas, but not exclusively.
"A lot of our DUI-related fatalities or serious injury collisions occur on the major thoroughfares," he said. "Golf Links, 22nd, Broadway, Speedway and other major thoroughfares east and west of the city.
“So yes, we have people who will consume alcohol while partying in the downtown area, but we’ll see collisions further away from that central area."
That means patrols will be out all across Tucson. O'Hara said the simple message is, “Just don’t drink and drive.”
But if you do, AAA Arizona and TPD have partnered to offer free towing of cars and two passengers for up to 10 miles. The program runs 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday. The number to get a tow truck is 1-800-AAA-HELP. Ask for the Tipsy Tow program.
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