NEW HAMPSHIRE - ANALYSIS OF ASAP (ALCOHOL SAFETY ACTIONS PROJECT) PATROL ACTIVITY - FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 52296
• Author(s): R G ULMER; H H JACOBS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 41 pages
• Contract Number(s): DOT-HS-055-1-71
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Admin
• Corporate Author: Dunlap and Associates
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ONE OF THE PRIMARY COUNTERMEASURES OF THE ALCOHOL SAFETY ACTION PROJECT (ASAP) IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE SPONSORSHIP OF SPECIAL POLICE PATROLS TO APPREHEND DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (DWI) OFFENDERS, IS DESCRIBED.

Abstract

THE ASAP WAS OPERATIONAL FOR THE 5-YEAR PERIOD FROM 1972 TO 1976. OBJECTIVES IN THE USE OF THE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT PATROLS WERE TO INCREASE DWI ARREST LEVELS, TO PROVIDE A HIGHLY VISIBLE AND WELL-PUBLICIZED ENFORCEMENT EFFORT THAT WOULD CREATE A DETERRENT EFFECT, AND TO PROVIDE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR LOCAL POLICE TO ENHANCE THEIR CAPABILITY OF DETECTING AND APPREHENDING DRUNKEN DRIVERS. THE MONITORING TEAM WAS COMPOSED OF 11 STATE POLICE WHO WERE ASSIGNED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS. OVER THE 3 YEARS OF TEAM OPERATIONS, 86 PERCENT OF ALL SHIFTS WERE RUN BETWEEN 6 P.M. AND 3 A.M., 11 PERCENT, BETWEEN 3 P.M. AND MIDNIGHT, AND 3 PERCENT COVERED OTHER TIME PERIODS. THE BASIC DECISION REGARDING SPECIAL PATROLS WAS TO DEPLOY MANPOWER AS A UNIT, ON A MOBILE BASIS, WHO WORKED PERIODICALLY IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE STATE. NO SPECIAL EQUIPMENT OR PROCEDURES WERE EMPLOYED. ALL POLICE DEPARTMENTS USED BREATHALYZERS FOR EVIDENTIARY TESTS, AND STEPS INVOLVED IN MAKING A DWI ARREST WERE SIMILAR AMONG DEPARTMENTS. DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD, DWI ANNUAL ARRESTS RATES WERE MORE THAN TRIPLE THAT OF YEARS PRIOR TO THE PROJECT. SPECIAL PATROLS WERE MORE EFFECTIVE IN MAKING DWI ARRESTS THAN REGULAR PATROLS. CONSIDERABLE VARIATION WAS OBSERVED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO THE TEAM: OFFICERS WHO STOPPED MORE VEHICLES PER UNIT TIME DID NOT HAVE HIGHER DWI ARREST RATES. THE EFFICIENCY OF LOCAL OVERTIME PATROLS (MAN-HOURS PER DWI ARREST) WAS NOT RELATED TO VARIOUS MEASURABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH PATROLS WERE CONDUCTED; AND ARREST LEVELS WERE NOT RELATED TO THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH VEHICLES WERE STOPPED. SPECIAL PATROLS HAD HIGHER COMPLIANCE RATES WITH CHEMICAL TESTING PROCEDURES THAN REGULAR PATROLS. YOUNG MALE DRIVERS WERE OVERREPRESENTED AMONG THOSE ARRESTED FOR DWI, IN COMPARISON TO THEIR NUMBERS IN THE LICENSED DRIVER POPULATION. A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP WAS FOUND BETWEEN ARREST AND NIGHTTIME FATAL ACCIDENT LEVELS. SUPPORTING DATA ARE TABULATED. (AUTHOR'S ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DEP)