From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:
Sheriff Jeffery R. Gahler and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office announces a 105% increase in Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests made by deputies throughout Harford County in 2015. During the year, the Sheriff’s Office recorded 365 DUI arrests, compared to 177 in 2014. This is an increase of 188 arrests.
To achieve this milestone, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office conducted DUI checkpoints, saturation and directed patrols, and other initiatives throughout 2015 in an effort to protect our families, friends and neighbors from those that make irresponsible choices when getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. Even one death due to a driver being under the influence is too many and totally preventable according to Sheriff Gahler.
“Drivers and passengers have many alternatives to arrive home safely. Drunk and drugged driving is never an option and will not be tolerated in Harford County”, says Sheriff Gahler. The Sheriff’s Office, on average, made one DUI arrest every day of 2015. Sheriff Gahler acknowledged this is the largest increase in DUI arrests on record for the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and stresses his commitment to all areas of traffic safety.
Harford County faces many persistent and difficult highway safety issues. The Sheriff’s Office is committed to improving highway safety through education, enforcement and engineering and supports the State’s long-term goal of zero deaths. DUI enforcement has proven to be a strong strategy toward achieving our goal.
Initiatives to stop and deter impaired driving continue during the upcoming Super Bowl weekend. During the weekend of February 6th, Sheriff’s Office deputies will work in partnership with allied law enforcement agencies across the State of Maryland to keep the roads safe during the Super Bowl. Saturation patrols are planned throughout the weekend, targeting drunk and drugged drivers. Additionally, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office will conduct a DUI checkpoint on Sunday, February 7th, 2016 from 8:30 pm until 10:30 pm.
“Whether you want the Broncos or Panthers to win this weekend, we are ultimately all on the same team when it comes to protecting life,” says Sheriff Gahler.
“Help us keep the roadways of Harford County safe by always having a designated driver when you are out celebrating. And if you see something, say something! Call 911 to report those you suspect of driving under the influence.”
Wow, 1 arrest every day. While we all live in fear every day of the distracted soccer mom texting on her phone is more likely to kill and maim innocent people.come on Sheriff Jeff when are you going to crack down on the real problem?
First of all DUI’s are a “real problem” and people die as a direct result! I’m sure there will be alot of haters posting shortly about impaired enforcement, but I’m proud of our deputies. As far as distracted driving, I’ve personally seen HCSO at the Festival doing “distracted driving” details. I know because I asked. They said that they do enforcement with distracted driving quite frequently. But I’m sure you already knew all this judging by the eloquent post. I’m getting sick and tired of all this negativity we sling at law enforcement, especially the locals. They are doing the best they can for crying out loud!
So you’d rather we just ignore drunk driving sine you personally are more concerned about idiots texting while driving?
Both behaviors are incredibly dangerous and both are targeted regularly.
You must be one of the arrested.
and your link for the stats to back up your claim? are you saying drunk drivers are not a problem and should be ignored until all texting Bel Air soccer moms are rounded up first?
Who said drunk drivers aren’t dangerous? I believe the point being made there are 1000’s every day driving the streets of Harford county driving distracted through out the day. No matter what the statistics are there are not 1000’s of drunk drivers and those who are typically are on the roads late night, that’s why they don’t do DUI check points at 9AM on a Tuesday. Now back to your useless comparisons continue to high five jeff and his making the roads safer….. Not.
@Who,
Are you drunk while writing your post? You sound like it.
If you don’t think there are drunk drivers (or drug impaired drivers) on the roads during the day then you’re fooling yourself.
I’ve arrested DUI and DWI (CDS) drivers on all three shifts and every day of the week. True, it’s more prevalent on weekend nights and certain major holidays/events, but they’re out there while you’re driving to work, coming home from work, and while your kids are standing on the corner waiting for the bus. Alcoholic and drug addicts don’t care what time or day or of the week it is. They’re using and many of them haven’t been sober in years. There are a people in Harford County who I encounter on a regular basis day after day and year after year and have never once seen them sober no matter what time of day it is. Anyone working patrol can probably come up with a few names who fall into that category.
I’m sure there are a few drunks right now on Harford county roads. Just as I’m also sure as I type this there are 100’s of distracted drivers. Sad thing is you spend your time with known repeat drunk offenders while the real threat grows larger.
Well I’m really proud of the accomplishments of the HCSO Deputies for their accomplishments regarding drunk drivers and the countless other “wins” they get on a daily basis. As for those that think this particular accomplishment should be scoffed at and that deputies need to go after the “real problems/criminals” like people texting/talking while driving, rapists, murderers, thieves, burglars, etc., they do that all of that too. You just don’t hear about every single thing law enforcement officers do all of the time and there also aren’t always articles showcasing every success either. But there’s plenty of them – trust me on that!
And especially to those (given the nature of this article) that scoff at the “drunk driving problem” in this county – I implore you to ask anyone who has either lost someone or who has been affected in some way thanks to a drunk/drugged driver hurting or killing someone they loved and cared about and see how they feel about this outstanding performance from the deputies in this county. Ask them if they think deputies have spent far too much time over the last year worrying about those that are driving around under the influence. Just about anyone who has lost a loved one or somehow been affected by such drivers, to include distracted and just plain reckless/irresponsible driving, don’t necessarily see one as worse than the other. They all cause tragedy, hurt, and loss and all are both senseless and preventable. So I say along with countless others, put a stop to all of them and work on keeping everyone safe. That includes keeping people who are under the influence from getting behind the wheel in the first place. In my humble opinion, we can all do our part to make this county a safer place. We rely heavily on our law enforcement officers to do this, but shouldn’t the real change also start with us as individuals?
Drunk Drivers kill people, however, Potheads miss their exits or slow down for the Red Light about 500ft too soon. I’m not condoning driving under the influence of anything, just being realistic…..
It’s ALL horrible. DUI, distracted, aggressive driving.
I went to work early for a few months, around 4am. I was totally amazed at the assholes out at that time of morning, getting passed on double yellow, seeing people just blow right through traffic lights without even slowing down. Granted, there wasn’t much for traffic.
What’s funny is that all the assholes I saw driving Westbound (North?) on Route 40, nearly 2/3 of them all made that right turn onto Spestusia road, guess they were all rushing to get to Rite Aid? LOL
In 3 months of doing this schedule and driving around County and state roads, not once did I see a marked law enforcement car anywhere.
If you want to drive 100mph on Pulaski highway, I guess do it at 4am.
At 4 in the morning there are only 4 deputies on the street. in the entire county.
I think your numbers are a bit off.
Also consider the State Troopers who are in the county.
Seems to me that the Sheriff’s Department has increased its patrols. That would be the MOST obvious reason that the DUI’s are being increased. If people don’t see that this is actually making Harford County roads safer to travel, then they are complete idiots.
Right, it just goes to show with a lot of proactive “traffic” enforcement the amount of motor vehicle operators in the driver’s seat intoxicated, or on a street drug gimmick, or distracted are in great numbers.
The number would obviously been in the thousand (s) if there was a hypothetical “check point” on every road, all day long, everyday.
gotta agree with ya
Probably a good thing but I would want to see the racial demographics break-down of these arrests.
Why does the racial demographics of the arrests even matter? You are either drunk driving or not. If you are DUI you get arrested, it’s that simple! If you are still wondering about the arrests my guess would be it’s probably close to the representative U.S. Census Bureau stats for Maryland, 60% white, 30% black, 10% Asian/Hispanic. Although probably slightly higher than 60% for whites because you have to take into consideration urban/suburban environments and the overall utilization of private vs. public transportation.
That would be my expectation of effective and fair enforcement as well. I am simply curious what the actual numbers are.
Oh Jesus Christ…here we go with the “this color drunk diver was arrested more than this color drunk driver”.
Shut up with the race baiting crap and move on. BAC has no race. They were drunk behind the wheel of an automobile.
Get over yourself.
Wow.
Renders you speechless when someone doesn’t stand for the black / white / yellow / red bullshiggity.
Criminals are criminals.
Forest Hill, you need to get a life and forget all of that PC bullshit. The quota system doesn’t work too well when it comes to policing. The cops should have x number of majority folk willing to come out to be stopped just so the NAACCP is happy.
Agree all drunk drivers need to be off the road regardless of color. There is little judgement of police officers need to make in picking who to pull over and give a breath test to. Moreover, there is nothing about alcoholism that is unique to race or class. As a mathemetician, I would expect and hope then that the arrest demographics align with the makeup of the county. This is a great test case to prove that the HCSO is a role model of color blind justice that our citizens want and deserve. Surprising to see all these limp/little men afraid of the question even being asked – shows a lack of leadership in wanting to assure our county is truly the greatest place on the country to live for all our residents. I thought we agreed all you racists would stay up in Rising Sun.
Nice call Forest Hill! I happen to be a man of color. I am offended by quotas and a constant reminder the we are “different.” Take your useless statistics and shove them up your stovepipe. You sir are the racist!
FORESTHILLRESIDENT you are a f#&*%÷;#& idiot
Limp/tiny – Because I was curious about data?
Who says texting and talking on the telephone while driving isn’t a sign of an addiction just as insidious as alcoholism? If you can’t put your phone down for long enough to drive a car, you need to reexamine your priorities.
I applaud the diligent work being done to keep drunk and impaired drivers off the road and would like to thank the people doing this thankless job.
All the NHTSA and other studies show that alcohol abstention and temperance is far higher in the African American population. When you look at alcohol related DUI death tolls they are far higher for whites than should be expected when represented as a percentage of the population. So – who actually got arrested here in Harford County?