Program Strengths

The primary strength of the Austin Police Department’s efforts are attributable to having a special unit of officers dedicated to DWI enforcement. This practice allows those officers to increase their detection and roadside assessment skills and to become more confident in their abilities. As a consequence, officers who serve in the DWI Unit are more likely to interpret SFST results in strict adherence to the NHTSA guidelines and to make correct arrests decisions that other officers might not make, especially in borderline cases. Officers of the DWI Unit also become familiar with the judicial process and comfortable providing testimony in court. DWI Unit officers testify frequently and from this experience learn which aspects of the arrest process that defense attorneys are likely to challenge. The officers convey this information to their colleagues and adjust the established operating procedures, when necessary. Additional strengths are sum­marized below.

Managers of the Austin Police Department have been very supportive of the DWI Unit, especially by providing training opportunities. The support has benefited the department by (1) improving the performance of individual officer’s in the detection and assessment of impaired drivers; (2) allowing DWI Unit officers to assist other officers in the department to improve their skills; (3) increasing the level of professionalism of the force; and (4) enhancing the credibility of officers’ testimony in court.

Currently, the Austin PD’s DWI Unit uses patrol cars configured specifically for DWI/DUI Enforcement. Officers believe that the public can become desensitized to the sight of a police car; however, the DWI Enforcement decals on the special unit’s vehicles distinguish their patrols from all others, elevate awareness of the unit’s activities, and sometimes provide opportunities for pleasant interactions. Officers of the DWI Unit report seeing drivers at intersections mouth “DWI Enforcement” as they read the decals on the patrol cars and many citizens have made positive comments to the officers concerning their special duty. The officers believe that the distinctive lettering on their vehicles contributes immensely to the successful performance of their mission.

The DWI Unit’s DREs expand the APD’s abilities to detect drivers whose performance is impaired by substances other than alcohol, including recreational drugs and prescribed medication. The unit’s DREs also help educate the public and other officers concerning the performance-degrading effects of specific drugs and of drugs and medications when taken in combination with alcohol.

Officers of the DWI Unit occasionally borrow unmarked vehicles from other units to aug­ment their regular, high visibility DWI patrols. Similarly outfit­ted unmarked patrol cars are on order for use by the DWI Enforcement Unit. The new patrol vehicles will be equipped with moving radar and digi­tal video systems to provide additional capabilities. Suggestions From the Program Organizers

Judicial Issues

Work with prosecutors and judges. Advise them that their DWI case loads will increase dramatically as a result of a special enforcement program. After that, educate the judicial personnel about impaired driving issues and the enforcement effort. Begin with information about the SFSTs and DWI detection, then move to discussion of other drugs and medications that impair driving.

SFSTs and DWI Detection

The NHTSA’s DWI Detection guidelines and the SFSTs must be the central components of the DWI enforcement program. The agency’s managers must support the use of the SFST battery to help officers make roadside arrest decisions. Like many members of the public and judicial personnel, law enforcement managers might not fully understand the systematic procedures that have been developed by NHTSA. Some judicial personnel and law enforcement managers will require education concerning alcohol and other drugs that impair driving performance.

Training

Officers selected for special duty with a DWI unit must be willing to seek continuing education and training to preserve their understanding of proce­dures and case law regarding DWI detec­tion and the SFSTs. A well-trained and disciplined DWI unit will quickly earn a reputation for professionalism and reli­ability among judges, prosecutors, and even defense attorneys.

Officer Motivation

Managers of the Austin Police Department allow the members of the DWI Enforcement Unit to use their patrol vehicles for transportation between shifts. This unusual privilege recognizes the importance of the officers’ special duty, mitigates the burden imposed by lengthy and inconvenient court appearances, and contributes to general awareness of the special enforcement program by exposing the public to patrol vehicles announcing “DWI Enforcement” during daylight hours.

Evidence of Program Effects

A recent NHTSA study of the Austin Police Department’s DWI Unit found that the number of DWI arrests made by the department doubled as a consequence of the reassignment of general patrol personnel and the command emphasis on impaired driving enforcement. The authors of the report also suggest that the 25 percent decrease in alcohol-involved fatal crashes in Austin between 1997 and 2001, and the 10 percent increase in the conviction rate during the same period are attributable to the special enforcement efforts of the APD’s DWI Unit.

Changes Attributed to DWI Unit Between 1998 and 2001

DWI Arrests	+100%
Drivers in Fatal Alcohol-Involved Crashes	-25%
DWI Conviction Rate	+10%

Source: Wiliszowski, C.W. and Jones, R.K, Evaluation of the Austin Police Department DWI Enforcement Unit, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC, DOT-HS-809-641, 2003.