The Chicago Police Department is ramping up its DUI enforcement this weekend with a DUI Saturation Patrol in the city's 9th (Deering) District. From Saturday, August 30, 6 p.m., through to 2 a.m. on Sunday, August 31, extra officers will be on the lookout for impaired drivers, ready to hand down citations for a slew of violations, according to an official statement from the Department.
The initiative is not just for show; officers are equipped with the tools – including vehicles set up for speed detection – to swiftly snag those flouting traffic laws. The Breath Alcohol Testing (BAT) Mobile Unit is also expected to be a part of the patrol, giving cops the ability to on-the-spot charge individuals with DUIs and even issue Individual Recognizance Bonds to those nabbed for such infractions.
These saturation patrols are no rare occurrence, having been employed previously in the 22nd (Morgan Park) District the weekend of August 23-24. The operation's statistics, publicized by the police, reveal a total of 71 citations, yet curiously, no arrests for Driving Under the Influence were recorded. Violations cited included 10 for speed, 7 for distracted driving related to cellphone use, and 10 insurance violations, among others.
The effectiveness of these saturation patrols could be a matter of perspective, with some possibly seeing the absence of DUI arrests as a sign of victory while others might question the deployment's deterrence factor. Nonetheless, statistics like 7 seat belt violations, 1 instance of open liquor, and a single citation for a suspended or revoked license paint a picture of consistent, albeit varied, noncompliance with traffic laws.
