Last Friday's post notified readers that Arizona police were planning a serious Labor Day crackdown on holiday DUIs. Their tactics were carried out through the weekend and resulted in a significant increase in DUI arrests compared to Arizona's 2009 rate.

The amount of traffic stops and law enforcement officers on Arizona roads both intensified as part of the Arizona DUI crackdown, and last weekend was the culmination of the 17-day program. In 2009, about 1,300 officers took part in the Labor Day enforcement; this year about 5,400 participated.

According to reports, as a state, Arizona upped the amount of DUI arrests compared to last year by almost 100, but Phoenix alone stands out as the most heavy-handed area in regards to Labor Day DUI arrests. The total amount of Phoenix DUI arrests that resulted from the 17-day program is 382.

Reports also note that there were fewer arrests for extreme DUIs this year. An extreme DUI means that the suspect has a blood alcohol content level that measures at 0.15 or above. Since the amount of those arrests decreased, that means that more DUI arrests that occurred during this year's Labor Day crackdown involved less serious DUI charges.

Some criticize holiday crackdowns because they believe that the primary motive behind them is disguised as a quest to increase traffic safety. They think that the true reason behind putting more police officers on the roads and issuing more DUI tickets is to get more money from Arizona residents. Such believers worry that the state's drive for money might put too many residents in danger of the damage that a DUI conviction can have on one's life.

Resource

ABC15.com: Arizona DUI arrests up over Labor Day weekend (9/5/2010)