DUI Officers Keeping Porter County Roads Safe in 2015

DUI-Officers-Keeping-Porter-County-Roads-Safe-in-2015The Porter County Drunk Driving Task Force recognized police officers at an awards ceremony yesterday. Each year the Drunk Driving Task Force says thanks to the men and women who work to keep the roads safe from drunken drivers. Between November 1, 2014 and October 31, 2015 there were a total of 931 DUI arrests in Porter County. The previous year’s total was 1,003.

Burns Harbor Officer Tim Lucas had the most number of DUI arrests of any officer; his total was 45. Officers from the following police departments were recognized: Burns Harbor, Chesterton, Kouts, Hebron, Indiana State Police, Portage, Porter, Sheriff’s Department and Valparaiso. Marie Buckingham, VIP Coordinator for MADD, Northwest Indiana, spoke at the recognition ceremony.

Members of the Drunk Driving Task Force are thankful to the officers, the Porter County Judges, and Adult Probation for their help in keeping the roads safe. Many stakeholders in Porter County are helping to reduce drunken driving.

This awards ceremony coincides with the National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. The holidays are an especially vulnerable time of year for drivers. The Centers for Disease Control report that the average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before the first arrest. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that two in three people will be involved in a drunk driving crash in their lifetime. The Drunk Driving Task Force is dedicated to helping keep the county’s roads safe. The task force is a member of the Porter County Substance Abuse Council.