'We're just getting started.' El Paso County sheriff rolls out new DWI Task Force
While campaigning for sheriff last year, drunken driving was one of the most common concerns mentioned by voters, said Ugarte, who took office on Jan. 1. The sheriff's new task force leverages the assistance of other law enforcement agencies to tackle the problem of driving while intoxicated.
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"This task force reflects what we can achieve when local law enforcement agencies unite behind a common goal —keeping our residents safe," Ugarte said in a statement.
"The community asked us to act on DWIs, and we listened," Ugarte said. "These arrests send a clear message: if you drive impaired in El Paso County, you will be held accountable. We're just getting started."
The new DWI Task Force is comprised of sheriff's deputies, county constables and Horizon City police officers working overtime. Its first operation took place on Friday and Saturday, April 18-19.
The task force arrested 25 men and 11 women, ranging in age from 17 to 52 years old, stated Sheriff's Office information. Thirty drivers face DWI charges, with the remainder arrested on charges including drug possession, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and the arrest of one fugitive from Arizona.
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Ugarte added that he plans on asking county commissioners for funding for a full-time, permanent county DWI Task Force. The El Paso Police Department has its own permanent DWI Task Force funded in part by state grants.
The DWI Task Force is part of the new sheriff's focus on community concerns, including driver's license and auto insurance street checkpoints and cracking down on illegal dumping in the desert.
Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso County sheriff launches new DWI Task Force
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