Elgin police rank 6th for DUI arrests, per AAIM, falling from last year

Chicago Tribune

a day ago

The Elgin Police Department ranked in the top 10 law enforcement agencies making the most drunk driving arrests in 2024, though the ranking dropped from last year's second-place berth.
The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) released the results of its Illinois DUI Arrest Survey for 2024 that showed Elgin ranked number six.
Elgin had 245 DUI arrests, the survey showed.
'Each arrest reflects the hard work and dedication of the officers who put themselves on the line every day. Their efforts help protect lives and prevent families from experiencing the pain of a crash,' said Rita Kreslin, AAIM executive director, in a press release.
Last year, Elgin Police Department made 282 arrests to achieve the second-place spot.
The change could be a result of different factors, like people using rideshare services to avoid drinking and driving or people staying at home more, said Elgin Sgt. Hector Gutierrez, the department's public information officer.
EPD does 'no refusal' campaigns during holidays, including Memorial Day weekend. They allow police to work with prosecutors to obtain a seach warrant against drivers who refuse to take a breathalyzer, blood or urine test during a drunk driving stop or investigation, according to the Kane County State's attorney's office.
A campaign is coming up for Labor Day weekend, Gutierrez said. 'We are going to be looking for intoxicated drivers on the roadway to keep everyone safe,' he said.
'Hopefully those (campaigns) resonate with people, and they are taking safety precautions,' Gutierrez said.
AAIM's survey showed Det. Paul Dublinski had 22 DUI arrests in Elgin last year. Dublinski is a veteran officer who routinely has the highest number of DUI arrests in the department.
'We have officers who really care about getting DUI drivers off the roadway and making the streets safer for the community,' Gutierrez said.
AAIM is an Illinois-only citizen activist group founded in 1982 by victims of drunk driving. Its survey, which started 35 years ago, had an 81% response rate from nearly 700 police agencies around the state in 2024.
The survey showed the top 10 police departments were:
Aurora remained the first in the state for the second year in a row. Naperville had one of the largest increases in arrests from 2023 to 2024, 51.8%, along with West Chicago, which had a 31.2% increase.
The sheriff's department reporting the most DUI arrests was Winnebago County with 387. The top five list included McHenry County with 189 arrests, Cook County with 155, Lake County with 136, and Will County with 133.
'Enforcing DUI laws is demanding but essential work. The entire AAIM organization sincerely appreciates the officers' daily sacrifice, dedication to public safety, and efforts to save lives. We deeply value their constant commitment,' Kreslin said, in the release.