Page 23 - 1Proactive Policing

Pro-Active Policing

Every 32 minutes, someone in America dies in an impaired driving crash. Every two minutes,
someone UNDERSTANDS THE PROBLEM it‘ injured.

Saturation patrols involve assigning large numbers of extra squad cars to a specific area. They
can be conducted for a single night only, or every night for a period of weeks. Unlike a DUI

checkpoint, saturation patrols don‘t use roadblocks and they don‘t stop every car passing through.
Instead, individual squad cars look for any illegal driving, and can often catch dozens of people in

just a few hours.

Other differences include:

 Saturation patrols are harder to avoid and do not have to be announced ahead of time
 Whereas checkpoints mainly result in charges for DUI, driving without a license, and drug

possession, saturation patrols catch large numbers of people for speeding and other violations
as well
 Saturation patrols tend to catch more drunk drivers total, and are easier for law enforcement to

organize
It is legal for police to conduct saturation patrols. In most cases being pulled over by a saturation
patrol is the same as being pulled over by any other police car. However, saturation patrols have

been criticized for targeting areas where minorities live.

A less-intensive strategy is the ―roving patrol‖ in which individual patrol officers concentrate on

detecting and arresting impaired drivers in an area where impaired driving is common or where
alcohol-involved crashes have occurred (Stuster, 2000). A ―how-to‖ guide for planning and

publicizing saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints is available from NHTSA (NHTSA, 2002).
(UNC Highway Safety Research Center, 2011, p. 1-20)

Effectiveness:

A demonstration program in Michigan revealed that saturation patrols can be effective in reducing
alcohol-related fatal crashes when accompanied by intensive publicity ([Fell, Langston, et al.,
2008]). Michigan is prohibited by State law from conducting sobriety checkpoints. In addition,

saturation patrols can be very effective in arresting impaired drivers. For example, in 2006
Minnesota‘s 290 saturation patrols stopped 33,923 vehicles and arrested 2,796 impaired drivers
([National Hardcore Drunk Driver Project, 1998]). (UNC Highway Safety Research Center, 2011,

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