The 2013 Summer/Labor Day Holiday DUI Mobilization crackdown on drinking drivers has ended and resulted in a significant number of DUI arrests from the Sobriety Checkpoints, Special Saturation Patrols and routine patrol in the Stanislaus County “Avoid DUI Campaign” that ran for 18 days.

From 12:01 a.m. Friday, Aug. 16, through midnight Labor Day, officers representing 12 Stanislaus County law enforcement agencies arrested 136 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Additionally, 80 other individuals were arrested for outstanding DUI warrants. There were no DUI fatal accidents or major DUI related traffic collisions reported during that time period in the region. In 2012, 80 DUI arrests occurred during the same time period.

“A combined effort this year found DUI arrests were up since the same time last year,” explained Riverbank Police Services Deputy Gary Vernon. “Our goal is traffic safety.”

These numbers are in comparison to last year’s totals during the holiday period. Law enforcement officials will be conducting more anti DUI efforts throughout the county and region again during Halloween and Thanksgiving Eve before planning for the December Winter Campaign periods. Police, Sheriff and the CHP encourage all motorists to help make communities safer and report drunk drivers. Call 911 anytime you encounter a dangerous impaired driver.

“We continually look for impaired drivers for the safety of our community,” added Vernon. “We arrested three more drivers for DUI over the holiday weekend.”

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.