AMARILLO, TEXAS -- In 2011, the Amarillo Police Department made 411 arrests for Driving While Intoxicated. Only halfway through 2012, officials with APD say it seems the numbers this year are holding fairly consistent.
In June 2011, APD made 40 DWI arrests. This year, APD made only 38 DWI arrests. Corporal Jerry Neufeld with APD said that slight fluctuation is fairly common.
"It's not going to all of a sudden shoot straight up and stay up and then come straight down or anything like it," he said. "It's a very up and down thing."
First-time DWI offenders face a Class B Misdemeanor, up to a $2,000 fine, and 180 days in jail. The second time, it's a Class A Misdemeanor, a $4,000 fine, and up to one year in county jail. After that, the DWI offense is considered a felony.
"After that, with two prior convictions, you get to the felony level and it becomes a third degree felony," explained Potter County District Attorney Randall Sims. "Two to ten years, fine not to exceed $10,000."
For most non-violent offenses, first-time offenders will only receive probation, Sims said. That means, many are put on a several year probation plan instead of serving jail time. If they break probation, then they must serve the jail time determined by the judge.
Both Sims and Cpl. Neufeld agreed legal punishment is one way to help prevent those DWI offenders from repeating the unlawful action.
"We're hoping if they went through that incarceration period or that punishment phrase at least and the next time we hope that they would think we're going to have a designated driver or I've got a taxi cab number and I'm going to call it when we're ready to go," added Cpl. Neufeld.
APD also benefited from a grant from TxDOT this year that allows them to pay additional officers to work overtime, looking specifically for drunk drivers, speeders, or anyone violating a seatbelt or child restraint law.
"When you have guys that have nothing to do but loko for drunk drivers or speeding or not wearing seatbelts," said Neufeld, "then obviously your numbers are going to go up when we're out there."
That grant is set to expire September 2012. APD has applied for that same grant again for this next year and it's expected to be approved, said Neufeld.
