Naperville, Cook and DuPage Counties Top Lists in Illinois DUI Arrests

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Arrest

According to data collected by the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM), Naperville police officers made 553 DUI arrests in Illinois in 2013. This ranks as second in Illinois, excluding the Chicago area. Naperville has ranked second on this survey for four consecutive years. Only Rockford, Illinois, with a population of about 151,000, topped Naperville (population of about 144,000), with 556 DUI arrests. Rockford has topped the AAIM’s statewide survey for seven consecutive years.

Reasons Behind the Numbers

Naperville police Chief Bob Marshall named his department’s DUI enforcement  initiatives as “a very high priority.” Naperville’s DUI-related initiatives include both arresting DUI offenders and trying to deter the Naperville public from engaging in drunk driving in the first place by using public education and awareness campaigns. In addition, the Naperville police force installed cameras in cars in order to help prosecute DUI offenses.

AAIM is an independent non-profit organization founded by families who lost loved ones in DUI crashes. Its mission is to prevent injuries and death caused by intoxicated driving and to provide assistance to Illinois crash victims and their families. According to AAIM’s press release, the DUI survey was designed to provide “a valuable service to Illinois citizens by encouraging them to compare the DUI enforcement record of their local police department with that of other communities. As a result, public pressure can be applied, where needed, to encourage DUI enforcement as a priority.” In a newspaper interview, the executive director also stated the survey is meant to recognize police departments for “fighting the good fight” against driving while intoxicated.

Other police departments outside of Chicago that were recognized in the top 10 arrests include Decatur (485), Springfield (410), Carol Stream (392), Elmhurst (300), Normal (279), Rock Island (274), Oak Lawn (262), and Aurora (256). Cook County ranked second among sheriff’s departments with 306 DUI arrests and DuPage County ranked 5th in the same category with 245 DUI arrests.

As for Illinois’s largest scale police forces, Chicago Police Department dropped 10.5 percent in the number of DUI arrests made since 2012, from 3,795 in 2012 to 3,395 in 2013. Statewide, the Illinois state police force increased by 28.8 percent in 2013 to 9,302, compared to 2012 at 7,220. More information on AAIM’s press release can be found here.

While the results of the above-discussed survey do not necessarily predict police departments that are most effective at enforcing Illinois DUI law, the topic highlights public sentiment against driving under the influence in Illinois and police department motives throughout Illinois to make DUI enforcement a priority. If you or someone you know has been arrested for a DUI, you need the help of an experienced Illinois DUI attorney to minimize the consequences. Call Kathryn L. Harry & Associates, P.C. to arrange a free consultation about your issue today at 630-472-9700.