"Surround the Sound" Emphasis Patrols a Resounding Success on Halloween

KING COUNTY, WA - Thanks to the work of law enforcement patrols, people out on the roads in King County the weekend before Halloween received a welcome treat.

Through the "Surround the Sound" emphasis patrols taking place throughout the Puget Sound area, intoxicated and dangerous drivers were targeted and taken off the streets as part of a coordinated effort to reduce traffic-related injuries and deaths.

Within King County, 28 driving under the influence (DUI) arrests were made as well as an additional 22 alcohol-related arrests, primarily from patrols along Highway 99 in King County.

"Emphasis patrols, such as 'Surround the Sound' play an important role in making our roads safer by removing impaired drivers before they cause crashes," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Our local and state law enforcement officers deserve a world of thanks for their extra efforts."

Officers from the Washington State Patrol, the King County Sheriff's Office, and Shoreline, SeaTac, Federal Way, Seattle, Tukwila, Des Moines, and Kent police departments participated in the King County patrols.

Beyond King County, "Surround the Sound" emphasis patrols were also conducted in Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties. All totaled, 93 arrests for DUI were made in the ten county "Surround the Sound" area.

In addition to getting intoxicated drivers off the road, the patrols also cited drivers who exceeded the speed limit, failed to wear safety belts, and/or committed other traffic violations.

Within King County, the emphasis patrol is coordinated by the King County Traffic Safety Coalition (KCTSC). Formed in 1998, the KCTSC is chaired by Public Health -Seattle & King County and includes the law enforcement agencies listed above, health educators, epidemiologists, liquor industry representatives, the Washington State Liquor Control Board, victims groups, traffic engineers, and numerous others.

Since KCTSC began coordinating these periodic traffic safety emphasis patrols in 1999, over 1000 people have been stopped for unsafe driving actions and over 100 people have been cited with driving under the influence along Highway 99 in King County.

The next coordinated traffic safety patrol effort, called the "Night of 1000 Stars," will take place December 15, 2000. Law enforcement officers across the State of Washington will be participating in patrols targeting intoxicated and unsafe drivers.

Listed below are the statistics compiled for all ten counties that participated in the Surround the Sound emphasis patrols:

County	Total Contacts	DUIs (includes DRE)	NOIs	Criminal	Alcohol related arrests	Drug related arrests	Warrant Arrests	Seatbelt Citations
Clallam	92	4	22	1	1	1	0	5
Jefferson	23	1	3	1	0	0	0	0
King (Kent only)	64	1	39	9	0	1	1	5
King (outside Kent)	157	27	34	24	22	1	3	3
Kitsap	98	8	13	0	0	0	0	5
Mason	NR	1	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
Pierce	306	17	62	31	2	6	1	1
Skagit	72	7	11	5	0	1	1	1
Snohomish	176	20	80	1	7	3	2	7
Thurston	NR	3	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
Whatcom	NR	4	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
Totals:	989	93	264	72	32	13	8	27

KEY:
DUI	=	Driving Under the Influence
DRE	=	Impaired by drugs other than alcohol
NOI	=	Notice of Infraction (e.g., speeding ticket, failing to yield right-of way)
NR	=	Data not yet reported by jurisdiction
* Note - The City of Kent has a separate task force that conducts emphasis patrols throughout the city, including the portion of Highway 99 that runs within the city's boundaries.

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