The Irving Police Department will be conducting DWI No-Refusal operations over the New Year’s Eve holiday weekend. The Department runs the operations by means of a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) as part of the State’s “Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.” campaign. Additional officers whose primary focus will be to locate and arrest impaired drivers will be on duty. Their high visibility and enforcement efforts should serve as a warning to those who would drive impaired. During this holiday season, TxDOT and the Irving Police Department encourage drivers to “Plan While You Can” to arrange for a sober driver before enjoying festivities where drinking may occur.
The Department will be utilizing a no-refusal approach to DWI enforcement. Persons arrested for DWI will be offered a blood test only (no breath tests). Officers will seek a search warrant, signed by a judge, in order to obtain a sample from anyone refusing consent to a blood test. The operations will take place on the nights of Thursday, December 31, 2015 and Friday, January 1, 2016. Furthermore, the Irving Police Department will allocate additional manpower to DWI enforcement between December 18, 2015 and January 3, 2016.
During the Christmas and New Year holiday period, there is a higher likelihood of impaired drivers on the roadways. This can increase the potential for alcohol related crashes involving injuries or deaths. If you see a suspected drunk driver, and you (or a passenger) can do so safely, please call 9-1-1 with the information.
