Page 22 - 1Proactive Policing

Pro-Active Policing

Saturation patrols put large numbers of police officers in a small area to maximize the number of
DUI arrests.

Law enforcement has been stepping up its efforts to catch DUI drivers. Across California, police
departments view DUI enforcement as a tool to increase revenue from fines and create an image

of looking out for public safety. Many departments even receive special federal grants to fund
extra DUI enforcement. One of the most common ways they do this is through saturation patrols.

A saturation patrol (also called a blanket patrol, ―wolf pack,‖ or dedicated DWI patrol) consists of a
large number of law enforcement officers patrolling a specific area for a set time to increase
visibility of enforcement. (UNC Highway Safety Research Center, 2011, p. 1-20)

Saturation patrols look for impaired-driving behaviors, such as reckless or aggressive driving,

speeding, and following too closely. ―Like sobriety checkpoints, the primary purpose of saturation
patrols is to deter driving after drinking by increasing the perceived risk of arrest. To do this,
saturation patrols should be publicized extensively and conducted regularly‖ (UNC Highway

Safety Research Center, 2011, p. 1-20). Saturation patrols can have advantages over sobriety
checkpoints, including increased effectiveness, reduced staffing, and comparative ease of
operation (Greene, 2003).

The effects of a carefully monitored and increased police patrol on the report of crime were

examined in four patrol zones. Overall patrol movement was increased to four time‘s normal
levels and slow patrol movement (under 20 mph) to around 30 time‘s normal levels for 10 days.

The patrol was active in two zones between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and in the other two zones
between 7:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. A multiple-baseline design and time-series statistical analyses
showed statistically reliable changes in reported levels of Part I crime (such as robbery, burglary,

and aggravated assault) during both night patrols, but not in the day patrols. In both night-patrol
zones, there were also reliable increases from saturation patrol to post saturation patrol in report

of Part I crime after the night patrol was terminated.

As a community, we all support law enforcement efforts to protect us from theft, burglary and

assault. Yet, many otherwise law-biding citizens continue to view impaired driving merely as a
traffic offense. Don‘t be fooled. Impaired driving is no accident nor is it a victimless crime. As a
serious crime that kills more than 16,000 people and injure nearly 305,000 others every year.

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