KING COUNTY, WA - Today, King County Executive Ron Sims, King County Sheriff David Reichert, and Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director for Public Health - Seattle & King County extended their thanks to the more than thirty officers and liquor control agents on patrol Friday, December 15, for their work as part of a county-wide emphasis patrol aimed at reducing holiday traffic crashes.
In total, 186 drivers were stopped for unsafe driving actions and 26 hazardous drivers were cited for DUI (driving under the influence) and removed from King County roads, primarily along Highway 99.
"Emphasis patrols, such as 'Night of 1000 Stars', play an important role in making our roads safer by removing dangerous and impaired drivers before they cause crashes," said Sims. "Our local and state law enforcement officers deserve a world of thanks for their extra efforts."
Law enforcement officers from Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Seattle, SeaTac, Shoreline and Tukwila City Police departments participated in the "Night of 1000 Stars" patrol, as did officers from the Port of Seattle, the King County Sheriff's Office, and the Washington State Patrol. In addition to the patrol activities, eight agents from the Liquor Control Board conducted briefings and bar checks.
Most of the same agencies and officers will join forces again for a similar effort on the weekend of New Year's Eve, December 28-31.
If members of the media are interested in doing a ride-along with a law enforcement officer within King County on the New Year's Eve Weekend, please contact James Apa at (206) 205-5442.
Also on December 15, an alternative to drinking and driving was offered by the TOWED Program. This service -- allowing those who have had too much to drink to have their car towed home -- is sponsored by Puget Sound Anheuser-Busch Wholesale Distributors, Nextel, and individual towing companies.
The TOWED Program will continue to be available free of charge through January 1 to individuals who have had too much to drink and are unable to drive home safely. For towing services, call (425) 462-4368.
Within King County, the "Night of 1000 Stars" patrol was coordinated by the King County Traffic Safety Coalition (KCTSC). Funded by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, the KCTSC is staffed by Public Health -Seattle & King County and includes the law enforcement agencies listed above, health educators, epidemiolgists, liquor industry representatives, the Washington State Liquor Control Board, victims groups, traffic engineers, and numerous others.
Since KCTSC began coordinating these traffic safety emphasis patrols in 1999, over 1200 people have been stopped for unsafe driving actions and over 100 people have been cited with DUI along Highway 99 in King County.
Following are the statistics for the "Night of 1000 Stars" Traffic Safety Emphasis Patrol along Highway 99 in King County on December 15, 2000:
Night of 1000 Stars Dec 15 2000 - Highway 99 Traffic Emphasis Report (as of Dec 26, 2000, 2:00 PM)
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Key for jurisdictions:
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WSP (Washington State Patrol)
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KCSD (King County Sheriff's Department) *Includes Shoreline and SeaTac Police Depts.
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SPD (Seattle Police Department)
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DMPD (Des Moines Police Department)
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FWPS (Federal Way Police Department)
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KPD (Kent Police Department)
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POS (Port of Seattle Police)
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STPD (Seatac Police Department)
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TPD (Tukwila Police Department)
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Jurisdictions #
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WSP
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KCSD*
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SPD
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DMPD
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FWPS
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KPD
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POS
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TOTAL
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Officers working
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2
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10
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2
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5
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4
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23
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Number of contacts
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3
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21
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83
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45
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152
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DUIs
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3
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5
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11
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6
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24
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NOIs (Notice of Infractions)
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16
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7
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23
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Criminal Citations
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3
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6
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42
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1
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52
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Alcohol related arrests (MIPs) {Minor in Possession}, open container, Neg 1, etc.
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16
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1
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17
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Drug related arrests (paraphernalia, intent to distribute, possession, etc.)
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0
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0
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Warrant arrests
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5
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0
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5
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Seatbelt citations
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2
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2
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