More Than 2,500 Cuffed During December DWI Crackdown in Minnesota

A statewide enhanced DWI enforcement campaign in December resulted in the arrest of 2, 573 impaired motorists. Preliminary DWI arrest totals were reported to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Office of Traffic Safety by 314 law enforcement agencies.

The highest alcohol-concentration reported was 0.39. Twenty agencies reported their highest alcohol-concentration in an arrest was at or above 0.30, and more than 100 agencies reported their highest alcohol-concentration was at or above 0.20. The legal limit is 0.08.

In Shakopee,  made 10 DWI arrests and their offender's highest alcohol concentration was .28, more than three times the legal limit of .08. The Scott County Sheriff's Office arrested five people for DWI and their highest recorded alcohol concentration was .21.

In Minnesota, all repeat DWI offenders — and motorists arrested for a first-time DWI with an alcohol-concentration level of 0.16 and above — face stronger DWI sanctions. Under these sanctions, DWI offenders must use ignition interlock for at least a year or face at least one year without driving privileges. Interlock requires a driver to provide a breath sample under 0.02 for their vehicle to start.

The State Patrol reported 606 DWI arrests during the effort. In the Twin Cities, Minneapolis P.D. led with 62 arrests, followed by Bloomington P.D. and St. Paul P.D. (each with 52); Eden Prairie P.D. (42); Carver Sheriff (32); Robbinsdale P.D. (30); Crystal P.D. (29); Edina P.D. (24); and Maplewood P.D. (22).

In Minnesota, one in seven drivers has a DWI on record. In 2010, 29,918 motorists were arrested for DWI.

DWI enforcement and education is a component of the state’s core traffic safety initiative, Toward Zero Deaths (TZD). 

View DWI arrest totals and the highest alcohol-concentration arrest by agency.