OWI Task Force to crack down on drunk drivers

SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN (CBS 58) – If you plan to be out drinking the weekend, beware. The OWI Task Force will be on the streets too.

As many as 35 law enforcement agencies throughout southeastern Wisconsin take part in these types of deployments in an effort to get drunk drivers off the roads.

"All these officers are here to make sure the roads are safe for everyone. We want to get that word out to all our communities," said Sgt. Daniel Rossmann, Whitefish Bay Police.

The patrols started with a street corner “roll call” at 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 9. From there, officers from 35 agencies in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Racine counties headed to their communities to conduct the special patrols. The task force says it wants to educate drivers and eliminate driving Under the Influence in Wisconsin.

CBS 58 rode along with one of the agencies on the patrols. West Milwaukee Police looked for a number of indicators of drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

"The first thing to go is judgement, and then the driver has issues dividing their attention." said Corporal Sean Patyk, West Milwaukee Police Department. "There's a lot of different things going on where someone who cannot divide their attention cannot safely drive a car... how their vision is affected, their peripheral vision, their estimation of time and distance. These are all things that become impaired."

The task force will be out with extra patrols through St. Patrick's Day.

Share this article: