Police departments ready to crack down on OWI offenses as St. Patrick's Day approaches

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- St. Patrick's Day revelers are out in full force, but so are police.

The Southeast Wisconsin Impaired Driving Task Force has a mission to keep the roads safe.

It's that time of year, and Wauwatosa police are back at it, along with some 42 other departments all looking to stop drunk drivers.

One by one, officers who've become experts at spotting impaired drivers head out from roll call at State Fair Park a little after 5 p.m.

If you’ll be putting down a few this weekend and next, in honor of a middle of the week St. Patrick’s Day, Lt. Brad Beckman hopes you do so responsibly.

This Southeast Wisconsin task force puts extra officers on the roads all over, stopping, testing and arresting those who choose to disobey the law.

“The hope is that we don’t arrest anybody for impaired driving. We will be out there. The goal is education and enforcement,” said Lt. Beckman.