In 2004, the DUI squad arrested 1014 of the 7561 impaired drivers arrested by the entire Arizona Department of Public Safety. This arrest total by one highly motivated squad accounted for 13% of the total DUI arrests at DPS in 2004. In addition, the squad completed 51 Drug Recognition Evaluations (DRE), drew blood for law enforcement purposes on 141 individuals, and provided 1744 hours of training instructor time. Each squad member is certified in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), and Law Enforcement Phlebotomy. Most of the officers are certified DRE’s. In 2004, 526 impaired drivers were processed through the DUI Squad’s DUI Mobile Van.
The DUI Enforcement Unit operates a DUI mobile processing van that supports Metro Phoenix Highway Patrol officers, other Highway Patrol districts, and local police agencies. The DUI van program has assisted in processing 5300 impaired drivers since its inception in 1996.
The DUI Enforcement Unit regularly joins forces the Metro Highway Patrol officers and eleven other police agencies of the East Valley DUI Task Force to remove impaired drivers from Arizona Streets. During a 17-day period in November and December of 2004, the East Valley DUI Task Force made 1,694 DUI arrests, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety was responsible for 249 of those arrests.