The Chicago Police Department is setting its sights on impaired drivers this weekend in the 10th (Ogden) District, with a scheduled DUI Saturation Patrol kicking off Friday evening. According to official statements, the operation starts tomorrow at 6 p.m. and will continue until the early hours of March 29.
To make the roads safer, a concentrated number of roving officers will be scanning for signs of impaired driving, focusing not only on alcohol but also on other violations like speeding and seat belt use. With vehicles equipped for detecting speed, officers hope to catch those pushing the limits.
For those pulled over and suspected of DUI, the BAT Mobile Unit is poised to streamline the process. This unit enables police to expedite DUI charges and issue Individual Recognizance Bonds on the spot, thus avoiding the need to transport every suspect to a lockup facility for bonding.
Reflecting on the results from the previous DUI Saturation Patrol in the 5th (Calumet) District on March 21-22, the operation cited 13 unsafe vehicle violations and 8 insurance violations. Seat belt offenses were notably lower with only 2 violations, a good indicator perhaps, that at least some safety messages are hitting home. In total, there were 37 citations and one arrest that was not DUI-related, showing that the police force's vigilance stretches beyond just the drunk drivers.
