Be smart: Police planning intense DUI task force near ASU this weekend
Aug 26, 2016, 5:09 AM | Updated: 4:30 pm
(AP Photo)
PHOENIX — Police have a simple message for anyone in the Tempe area this weekend: Don’t drink and drive.
“Our message is to make smarter decisions,” Sgt. Josie Montenegro with the Tempe Police Department said. “We want people not driving impaired. There are other options.”
Arizona State University Police, along with several other agencies, will work over the coming few days to crack down on drinking and driving around the city.
Montenegro said the primary goal of the DUI task force is to make sure everyone has a safe weekend.
“Obviously with ASU being back in session, we see a big increase in pedestrians and bicyclists,” she said. “The point of having our DUI task force is to prevent people from making poor decisions.”
The task force will not focus solely on the ASU campus. It will be in effect citywide.
“We have students that attend ASU but they live outside the ASU district, so that is why it is all over in Tempe,” Montenegro said, adding that the task force is looking for anyone who drives under the influence, not just students.
Montenegro said police have seen an uptick in people using rideshare services, such as Uber and Lyft, to get home, along with traditional ideas, such as calling a taxi or getting a ride from a sober friend. She encouraged people to continue the trend this weekend.
KTAR’s Jeremy Foster contributed to this report.