“No Refusal” D.W.I Campaign for Labor Day Holiday

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department and other law enforcement agencies participate in the “No Refusal” enforcement campaign for ths Labor Day Holiday. Since last January 1, the Tyler Police Department has arrested 283 drivers for DWI. Reports indicate that seven persons have died in a crash where alcohol was related this year and 27 persons have been injured. Law enforcement agencies in Smith County have been out in force during the Labor Day Holiday on the lookout for intoxicated drivers on our streets, highways, and area lakes. Officers haven’t been be taking “No” for an answer once again. The No-Refusal initiative began Friday, September 2, and runs through Monday, September 5, 2011.

A multi-joint effort between the Smith County District Attorney’s Office and police agencies from all over Smith County signed on for the “No-Refusal” D.W.I Campaign. Upon the arrest of a suspected drunk driver, he or she is asked to blow into a breath-test instrument or take a blood test. If the driver says “No” to a test, officers obtain an immediate search warrant signed by an on-call judge to have blood drawn by a certified nurse on staff at the Smith County Jail. The blood is then analyzed to determine whether the driver’s blood-alcohol concentration is 0.08 or higher, the legal limit for driving in Texas.

A host of local Judges have been on stand-by to sign warrants for the enforcement campaign. Judge Joel Baker, Judge Jack Skeen, Judge Allen Ross, Judge Randall Rodgers and Judge Christi Kennedy have been on call to assist local law enforcement officers and the Smith County District Attorney’s office in processing driving while intoxicated arrests throughout the weekend. According to information from the Texas District and County Attorneys Association website about 50 percent of DWI arrestees refuse to provide a chemical sample through a breathalyzer or blood test when pulled over.

Police say, “It is the intent of all law enforcement agencies that this joint effort will act as a deterrent, persuading people to avoid driving while intoxicated because they know that police officers will be determining sobriety with or without the driver’s consent. Please Don’t Drink and Drive.”