Ramped up enforcement efforts and new investigation tactics are most likely behind the significant increase in DUI arrests in Pennsylvania in 2010, Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan recently announced from Harrisburg.

According to police statistics, there were 17,695 drunk driving arrests last year, which is a jump of almost 5 percent from the 16,900 DUI arrests made in 2009. Because of the increase, Noonan said, 2010 marked the ninth consecutive year in which the number of drunk driving arrests made by state police rose.

Noonan attributed the increase in arrests to a similar increase in state police enforcement efforts. The police department reportedly continues to expand its drug recognition expert program, which trains state and local police officers to more easily and effectively identify drivers who are under the influence of prescription or illegal drugs. Noonan said that 70 state and 22 local police officers have been certified as drug recognition experts since the program began in 2004. Last year, these experts conducted 29 percent more drug evaluations than they did in 2009, and that number will likely continue to rise.

In addition, he said, the police department continued its Operation Nighthawk program throughout 2010. This initiative involves two consecutive evenings of additional police DUI training, followed by roving patrols to test the new knowledge.

However, Noonan also reported that the number of drunk driving-related car accidents reported by state police dropped last year, down to 4,595 from 2009's 4,625. Therefore, it remains a question whether drunk driving is increasing in Pennsylvania, or whether state police are simply being more aggressive in seeking out and arresting alleged drunk drivers.

Source: Pennsylvania State Police, "Pennsylvania State Police Make Record Number of DUI Arrests in 2010", 21 April 2011