Broome County law enforcement has received a grant to help fund extra patrols for DWI checkpoints for the remainder of this year and into 2013. The grant for $23,712 came from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association and will find seven overtime patrols and DWI checkpoints.

The first DWI checkpoint is planned for the Halloween weekend. The grant is going to be divided between State Police, the Sheriff’s Office, and other municipal police departments. In Broome County, an impressive half of DWI arrests are made at these checkpoints, according to Chris Marion, the STOP-DWI coordinator for Broome County.

In New York, a driver can be charged with a traffic infraction known as DWAI (Driving While Ability Impaired) if their BAC is below the limit .08. A BAC greater than .05 and less than .08 can be charged with DWI per se, and a driver refusing a chemical test can be charged with DWI, even without any evidence.

Broome County Executive Debbie Preston said, “I take DWI offenses very seriously. My Aunt was killed by a drunk driver and my mother was critically injured by a drunk driver, causing years of recovery. I’ve seen first-hand what the actions of drunk drivers can do to victims and their families. This Grant will help us continue to crack down on these serious offenses. Anyone who plans to drink and get behind the wheel in Broome County needs to reconsider their plans.”

In 2011 alone, 641 DWI arrests were made throughout Broome County.

“The officers at these checkpoints get a good idea from talking to you if there evidence of alcohol use,” said Broome County Sheriff David Harder. “Most of the time it’s going to be on the driver’s breath or their speech could be slurred.”

Marion said that so far this year, there have been no fatalities linked to drunk driving in Broome County. In May 2011, three people were killed when a drunk driver crashed into the Chenango River off Interstate 88 in Port Crane.

Sheriff David Harder said, “Cracking down on DWI offenses is a top priority of the Sheriff’s Office. We will continue to vigorously enforce the law and hope that the public is aware that they will be caught and arrested if they choose to drive drunk. The Grant will help us patrol the County through the upcoming Holidays, when statistically DWI arrests are on the rise.”