Columbia Police Department partnered with MU Police and the Boone County Sheriff’s Department last weekend in a heightened effort to keep intoxicated drivers off the roads from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
In addition to five arrests for intoxicated driving, the team of officers also cited two arrests for drivers without a valid license, 15 arrests of minors in possession of alcohol, three misdemeanor warrants, four arrests for possession of marijuana and four for the possession of a reproduced driver’s license.
Columbia Police Department spokesperson Bryana Larimer says that officers spread out in unannounced locations throughout the city to watch for erratic driving, as well as other indicators of intoxication that put the public at risk.
“There were extra law enforcement officers in the area to make a proactive stand to make sure that people got home safe, but if they also came across violations or issues, they were able to handle them and address them,” MU Police Major Brian Weimer said.
Larimer says the increased police vigilance was funded through a grant by the Missouri Department of Transportation.