NCJ Number
106699
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 35 Issue: 8 Dated: (August 1987) Pages: 85-87
Date Published
1987
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The Louisville and Jefferson County (Kentucky) police departments' Traffic Alcohol Program (TAP), which involves the use of specialized patrols that focus on drunk-driving detection, has been criticized by members of the alcoholic beverage industry and some citizens, but it has produced a significant decrease in alcohol-related vehicle accidents.
Abstract
The TAP grant from the Federal Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided for a 10-officer city TAP patrol and an 11-member county unit, which patrolled from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The program began October 1, 1985. Over TAP's first year, the patrols concentrated on key commercial areas, making sizable numbers of stops and arrests in those areas. Businesses serving alcoholic beverages in those areas and some citizens have complained of police harassment. Police statistics give some support to this complaint, since between October 1 and November 15, 1985, TAP units stopped 2,849 vehicles, but made only 331 drunk driving arrests. At a public hearing to determine TAP's future, a representative of the alcoholic beverage industry cited loss of liquor revenues and decreased conventions and tourism. Program proponents cited an 18-percent reduction in alcohol-related vehicle accidents and a 17-percent decrease in alcohol-related accidents involving injuries compared to the same period and previous year. Lawmakers voted to continue TAP for another year.