Columbia, MO
The Columbia Police Department might be implementing a new unit with the sole purpose of fighting intoxicated driving.City Manager Bill Watkins proposed funding for DWI enforcement in a Sept. 8 news release. Funding would go toward a unit of two officers handling only cases of driving while intoxicated. City Council and police department have approved of the unit, which now awaits the approval of the Missouri Department of Transportation to become effective.
“We’re 100 percent supportive of the unit as a department,” CPD spokeswoman Jessie Haden said.
MU students can expect to receive the same treatment as all Columbia citizens when it comes to the new unit.
“If they commit a traffic violation where CPD is patrolling, it ups the chances that someone’s going to catch you,” Haden said.
The new DWI unit will cover the entire city of Columbia. Although a concentration of CPD officers does cover the downtown bar district, the new unit would not stay in these areas specifically. CPD recognizes there are bars and night clubs throughout the Columbia area, as well as parties inside homes and apartments.
“That seems really harsh,” senior Ryan Taylor said. “I know a lot of students who drink and drive, but it will definitely make Columbia safer.”
The unit has the unanimous support of the City Council. Fourth Ward Councilman Jerry Wade said the unit would improve Columbia’s safety.
“DWI is one of the major issues with traffic safety,” Wade said. “The special units we’ve had in the past with special focuses usually work out very well.”
Haden also said despite the number of DWI cases decreasing for the past five years, the CPD still feels this unit will be beneficial. Specified campaigns such as this one have demonstrated great success nationally. Also, Columbia’s smaller efforts to reduce intoxicated driving, such as sober checkpoints, have been successful, she said.
The unit would receive a large amount of funding from the state, leaving little financial burden on Columbia’s citizens, Haden said. A $260,000 grant from MoDOT would pay for almost everything needed by the unit, including salaries, patrol vehicles, equipment and means to pay for gasoline.
“Loopholes are often found in proposals such as these, but that is not the case this time,” Haden said. “So far the only things not covered are handguns, shotguns and Tasers.”
If approved, the unit would officially go into effect Oct. 1, the start of the fiscal year, though it would take some time after this date to get the program fully up and running. Haden said 75 percent of the program would be paid by the state the next fiscal year, and 50 percent every year thereafter.
“That’s really a good deal,” she said. “It’s a tough budget year and this is really quite a gift that we’ll be able to bring on two more officers.”
The two officers in the DWI unit will not have the same duties as most officers. They would not be answering calls made through the CPD radio, allowing them to fully concentrate on handling DWI offenders.
“The hours when DWIs usually occur are our busiest hours,” Haden said.
Two officers with a successful history of DWI arrests will be assigned to this position, Haden said.