Beaverton Police Ramp Up Enforcement, Make 31 DUII Arrests In May

BEAVERTON, OR — Police officials on Friday announced the May numbers for driving under the influence of intoxicants' arrests, and it's fairly sobering.

As part of the yearlong National Traffic Safety Campaign, the BPD has focused on targeted patrols specifically seeking impaired drivers, officials said. This effort resulted in 31 DUII arrests in May.

The safety campaign and its targeted focus, BPD spokesman Mike Rowe said, is clearly making a difference.

So far this year, Rowe said, Beaverton officers have taken 138 impaired drivers off the city's street; "(And) every one of these people we take off the street could save someone's life," he said.

Of the 138, 15 refused to submit to a breathalyzer and were instead forced by warrant to submit to a blood test, Rowe said. In 2016, Beaverton police made 405 DUII arrests.

The program, or High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) detail, is funded by grants, he said.

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