|
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
According
to data compiled by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, 33
percent of the state's drivers whose license was suspended or revoked
had a criminal record, and 85 percent of these motorists had used their
vehicle in the commission of a crime. Further analysis revealed that
suspended or revoked drivers were involved in four times as many fatal
traffic crashes and six times as many injury crashes as licensed drivers.
These motorists were also convicted of eleven times as many impaired
driving offenses as licensed drivers.
Local police
officials in Stockton, California determined that the city ranked 3rd
highest of 39 cities in its population group for total fatal and injury
traffic crashes, 6th of 39 cities for alcohol-related fatal and injury
crashes and 31st of the 39 cities for impaired driving arrests. These
rankings clearly indicated a high number of motorists driving with a
suspended or revoked license. However, because the county District Attorney's
Office did not prosecute unlicensed and suspended driving violators
due to understaffing and heavy caseload, police officers were often
unable to seize vehicles operated by these unlicensed offenders.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In an effort to address
these serious traffic concerns, the Stockton Police Department developed
the Vehicle Impound Program in 1997. This program established a mandatory
towing policy for offenders caught driving with a suspended or revoked
license. Specific goals of the program were to:
- Reduce fatal and injury
motor vehicle crashes by 15 percent (from 1,682 in 1996, to 1,438
in 1998)
- Decrease alcohol-related
fatal and injury traffic crashes by 15 percent (from 108 in 1996,
to 92 in 1998)
- Increase the prosecution
and conviction rate of suspended and revoked drivers by 70 percent
in 1998
- Increase the number of
vehicles impounded from unlicensed or suspended drivers by 20 percent
(from 3,304 in 1996, to 3,965 in 1998)
- Create a database to
track the number of non-traffic-related arrests resulting from vehicles
impounded; to help measure the program's impact on crime
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Stockton Police Department
hired an additional officer to coordinate its program efforts and train
personnel. Staff members were also added at the district attorney's
office to facilitate case filings, adjudication and dispositions. Training
programs were implemented to train patrol officers in DUI enforcement
as well as the procedures and laws governing vehicle impoundment. These
patrol officers assisted traffic officers during DUI arrests, vehicle
impounding and warrant missions. An aggressive public information and
education campaign stressed the consequences of driving with a suspended
or revoked license.
A DUI Multiple Offender
Program was implemented, targeting drivers with multiple impaired driving
offenses who were suspected of continuing to drive. Stakeouts were used
to conduct surveillance on these individuals, and special enforcement
operations provided numerous DUI arrests and convictions.
|
