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Police in Tempe, Arizona arrested 392 people as part of an alcohol-crime-focused task force last weekend, which not coincidentally kicked off the first weekend of the fall semester for Arizona State University.
The "Safe and Sober" campaign, according to the Tempe Police Department, is a collaborative effort between 18 law-enforcement agencies and is scheduled to last until September 6. The Phoenix New Times reports that of the hundreds arrested, approximately one in three were arrested for DUI.
What can we learn from this ASU alcohol crackdown?
While the number of arrests may lead one to believe that this program is something new and unexpected, this is actually the second year of the "Safe and Sober" enforcement campaign. Last year's inaugural instance of the program netted 309 DUI arrests and 1367 arrests in total, spanning three weekends at the beginning of ASU's Fall 2013 semester. This is far more than the 392 total arrested thus far in this year's "Safe and Sober" campaign, but we remind readers that the 2014 run still has two weekends to go.
The New Times reported that comparing this past weekend with that same weekend in 2013, there were actually 21 more arrests in 2014. It's unclear that this suggests that alcohol-related arrests are increasing, and more may become clear once the campaign is concluded. Arizona's Governor's Office of Highway Safety actually reported fewer DUIs in 2013 than in 2012, suggesting that drivers may be wising up.
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Whatever the trend, the arrests last weekend included:
Hopefully any increase in alcohol-related arrests also corresponds to increased safety for Arizona's drivers and minors.
Since ASU's students seem largely clueless to the legal ramification of underage drinking and DUI, despite a combined 18 law-enforcement agencies watching them like hawks, here are some easy-to-remember back-to-college alcohol tips:
Try to start this semester without having to call a DUI lawyer.
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