The weather forecasts for the days leading up to the holiday are for a sizzling Denver. The Colorado Department of Transportation and State Patrol are already telling drivers across the state that the coming Labor Day weekend holiday will be blissfully long and hot — and they’re not referring to temperatures.
Both CDOT and the CSP said in a recent press release that the year-round Heat Is On campaign has a dozen periods in which enforcement is enhanced; Labor Day weekend is one of those periods. That means from now through Tuesday, Sept. 8, enhanced DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol) and DWAI (driving while ability impaired) patrols will be out looking for violations.
CDOT says it’s also going to kick off a DUI campaign designed to let folks know that driving after a few drinks can result in an arrest or accident. “A Few Can Still Be Dangerous” ads are available on YouTube and will be aired on TV stations across the station through the Sept. 7 holiday.
Last year’s Labor Day crackdown resulted in 1,102 DUI arrests in Colorado. Denver police reported arresting 162 drivers during the period, while Aurora reported 148 busts. Neither department recorded a large number of arrests on the actual holiday, however. Both said they took more drivers into custody on the Saturday before Labor Day than on the holiday.
Elsewhere, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office recorded just 6 arrests over the 19-day enforcement campaign, while Adams County deputies pulled in 46 drivers.
Colorado Springs officers arrested 83 and Lakewood police recorded 26 arrests.
This year, of course, drivers with multiple DUI offenses face the possibilities of a felony arrest and years in prison upon conviction. If you’re among those drivers with that threat looming over you, a Denver criminal defense attorney can help you sort through your options and help protect your freedom.