Reminder: 'No Refusal' Weekends As DWI Crackdown Continue In Austin, Including Easter

AUSTIN, TX — Usually, police implement "no refusal" periods of DWI enforcement during weekends that fall on holidays associated with celebration, but not anymore: From here until September, every weekend will be a "no refusal" weekend, law enforcement officials said in a statement issued Friday.

A "no refusal" period means that no driver will be able to decline a breathalyzer or voluntary blood test to test for suspected intoxication if pulled over by police. Instead, police are able to secure immediate warrants from judges that enable them to draw blood from non-complaint motorists.

Each weekend-long initiative will run from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each Friday and Saturday night through Sunday morning. This weekend's "no refusal" period started Friday, March 31 and will run through Sunday, April 2. The next one will occur Friday, April 7 through Sunday, April 9.

"As with previous No Refusal initiatives, during these dates/times there will be detectives available to assist in applying for a blood search warrant in those cases where a suspect under arrest for DWI refuses to provide a voluntary sample of breath or blood," Austin police said in a statement. "By expanding the No Refusal initiative to all weekends instead of just holidays, APD hopes to deter drinking and driving when it is most likely to occur."

The expanded initiative is made possible by Texas Department of Transportation grants, police noted.

Some people immediately surmise such police activity is largely enacted to yield a more robust revenue stream. Such criticism is akin to that lodged at the use of traffic cameras that photograph drivers making infractions to collect ticket money via mail even without the need for a police officer to actually witness the incident.

It's not so, police insist: “No Refusal is not about making as many arrests as we can,” said Lt. Blake Johnson with APD’s Highway Enforcement Unit. "It is about keeping unsafe drivers off Austin roadways and keeping the public safe. No Refusal ensures that we have solid blood alcohol content evidence of every arrest and as such enhances our ability to prosecute people who drive drunk and put others in danger.”

It's about promoting safety, particularly on weekends when people let off steam: "Weekends are often associated with parties and gatherings in which alcohol is present," police said in their statement. "This initiative is to remind everyone that their area law enforcement agencies encourage them to make the responsible choice not to drive if they are impaired in any way, Know before you go, get home safe. The Austin Police Department is focused on saving lives in the Austin metropolitan area and making roadways safe for everyone through education and enforcement."

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