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Holiday DUI Task Forces Net More Than 3K Arrests In LA, Riverside

LOS ANGELES — More than 3,000 arrests were made in Los Angeles and Riverside counties during a 17-day holiday crackdown on drunken and drug-impaired driving.

LA County reported 2,433 arrests for suspicion of driving under the influence and Riverside reported 658 arrests. The numbers were up year-to-year in both counties.

Tragically, there were four deaths attributed to a drunk or impaired drivers in our area," said Riverside police Sgt. Skip Showalter. "Last year, there were two alcohol-related deaths during the same year-end campaign."

About 100 law enforcement agencies in LA County and 30 agencies in Riverside participated in the "Avoid The 100" and "Avoid The 30" anti-DUI task forces, respectively.

Sobriety checkpoints were set up throughout the enforcement areas.

The campaigns coincided with two California Highway Patrol "maximum enforcement periods" — one on Christmas weekend, and the other over New Year's weekend — during which 80 percent of the agency's officers hit the streets to catch drunks, speeders and other traffic violators.

Both counties plan additional anti-DUI operations during the months of February and March to coincide with Super Bowl Sunday and St. Patrick's Day.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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