Assessment of Changes in DWI Enforcement/Level

Lacey, John H.; Jones, R. K. (Ralph K.) · 1991 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This report, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), assesses the long-term viability of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) enforcement programs coupled with public information and education (PI&E). The study addresses a common frustration in highway safety: special enforcement initiatives funded by federal or state grants often ceased shortly after external funding expired, diminishing their safety benefits. The research aimed to identify factors associated with programs that continued versus those that discontinued, using six case studies of jurisdictions deemed successful by state highway safety offices. The selected sites were Redondo Beach, California; Fort Collins, Colorado; Wichita, Kansas; Omaha, Nebraska; Lexington, Kentucky; and Clearwater, Florida. The methodology involved site visits, interviews with enforcement personnel, and the collection of historical data on DWI arrests and crash statistics from the late 1970s through the late 1980s. Due to a lack of detailed historical records on specific enforcement activities, the study used the volume of DWI arrests as a proxy measure for the level of enforcement effort. PI&E activity levels were assessed based on the recollections of program participants. The study categorized the sites based on patterns of enforcement and PI&E continuation, such as high initial activity followed by waning, or continued high enforcement with reduced PI&E. The findings reveal that while DWI enforcement activity increased significantly during the grant-funded periods in all six communities, sustainability varied. In three sites, arrest volumes decreased after funding ceased but remained above pre-program levels. In one site, arrests regressed to below pre-program levels. Two sites secured additional funding to maintain high arrest rates. PI&E efforts generally ceased when funding ran out. The report attributes reduced activity post-funding to increasing workloads (calls for service) with stable staffing, shifting command emphasis toward other issues like gangs or drug problems, and officer burnout. For example, in Redondo Beach, arrests increased four-fold during the project but later declined as the DWI squad became a low priority. In contrast, Wichita maintained a four-fold increase in arrests and a 41% reduction in fatal crashes by utilizing Breath Alcohol Testing Vans to reduce processing time, supported by continued local and federal funding. Fort Collins saw arrests plateau at levels three times higher than pre-program rates, though lower than peak activity, due to manpower shortages and stagnation. The significance of this study lies in its identification of barriers to sustaining DWI enforcement. It highlights that while initial grants can successfully launch high-visibility programs, long-term continuation depends on local budget absorption, sustained command emphasis, and community support. The report suggests that strategies such as rotating officers to prevent burnout and integrating enforcement into standard patrol duties can aid persistence. However, without continued funding or strong institutional priority, enforcement levels tend to diminish, potentially reducing the deterrence effect and associated safety benefits. The findings provide insights for future program implementation, emphasizing the need for mechanisms to ensure local financial and operational support after initial external funding expires.

Key finding

DWI enforcement activity increased greatly with specially funded programs but declined after funding ceased in most sites, except where additional funding was secured to maintain high arrest rates.

Methodology

other

Sample size: 6

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• dui enforcement

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation