The rate of drunken driving arrests in Colorado is up more than 40 percent from what it was last summer. Obviously, this isn’t because more individuals are drinking and driving. Instead, what it does mean is that law enforcement is cracking down on drunk driving.
Colorado law enforcement authorities held what has been referred to as the “100 Days of Heat” campaign, which was stepped up law enforcement presence on the highways that pretty much has come to a conclusion over the Labor Day weekend. The target of the campaign has been to reduce drunken driving.
Though no one condones drunken driving on the highways, the net result of such campaigns has been for more individuals being pulled over for suspected drunken driving without actual probable cause. Once law enforcement officers have a driver pulled over, such officers can then examine the driver and use a flashlight to look through the vehicle in the event that something may be improper that will lead to an arrest.
Though certain individuals may see nothing wrong with this, individuals driving do have a reasonable expectation of privacy and should not be pulled over at the whim of a police officer. Also, simply because someone is suspected of driving while under the influence does not mean this to be the actual case. Being pulled over in itself can be stressful and time consuming. It can lead to unwarranted suspicion as well.
Attorneys that represent clients for suspected drunken driving will do all they can to make certain that all arrests are conducted properly, and that officers do not pull over individuals without probable cause or reasonable suspicion that something is wrong.
Source: Denver Post, “Colorado arrests for drunken driving up 40 percent this summer,” by Kirk Mitchell, September 4, 2012