Police

The Ruston Police Department DWI Enforcement Program is a special enforcement program that operates on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night of each week. Officers working this program work these shifts in addition to their regular duties. The objective of this program is to reduce the number of DWI offenders on the streets of our city. This can be achieved through public awareness and education as well as through the enforcement process. The ultimate goal is to not only reduce the number of offenses, but to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents as well.

Periodically, the department will work with other area law enforcement agencies in establishing a temporary DWI Checkpoint. During a checkpoint, all drivers passing through are briefly stopped and screened. Due to the large number on citizen contacts, these checkpoints are very successful not only in identifying impaired drivers but in raising the public awareness.

The officers who participate in this program are trained in both the detection and the arrest of DWI offenders. They receive special training to help them in observing both the common characteristics as well as subtle traits exhibited by an intoxicated driver. Once they have contacted a suspected DWI offender, their training enables them to observe the suspected offender and identify some of the many effects of alcohol on him. If an arrest is made, their training then continues to aid them in the evidence collection and reporting process, and finally in their courtroom testimony.

This program was initiated during 1993 and has continued without interruption . Since its beginning, we have seen a significant decline in the number of DWI offenses and alcohol-related accidents in our community.

If you've ever wondered what it's like to get a “DWI Ticket”

• In Louisiana , here's what you might expect to get as a MINIMUM penalty for a first-offense DWI:
• Embarrassed while you take a field sobriety test on the side of a public street
• Take a breath test to determine your blood alcohol content
• Arrested on a CRIMINAL charge of DWI (which is now on your record permanently)
• Handcuffed and placed in the back seat of a police car
• Fingerprinted
• Photographed
• Jailed - hopefully with a cell mate who isn't "too friendly"
• Your name may appear in the newspapers and possibly on radio news broadcasts
• Expect to pay a bondsman at least $220 fee to get you out of jail
• Expect to pay a lawyer anywhere from $350 to $1,500 (and possibly more) for handling your case
• Appear in court for an arraignment (miss work and/or school)
• Spend more time in court if a trial is held (miss more work and/or school)
• Attend a pre-sentence interview once you're convicted in court (miss still more work and/or school)
• Another court appearance for sentencing (you guess it - miss work and/or school yet another time)
• Upon a conviction, expect to pay at least $1,046.00 in fines, court costs, probation fees, etc. (that's on top of what was already paid for the bondsman and lawyer)
• Work a minimum of four (4) eight-hour days of community service (32 hours)
• Attend a substance abuse program (another $50)
• Attend a driver improvement class (that's right, another $50)
• Have a DWI conviction on your driving record for a minimum of 10 years
• Have your drivers license revoked for at least 90 days
• Car insurance rates will likely double (if not more) over the next three years
• Some job applications require applicants to list any DWI arrests
• Some employers will not hire - or possibly fire - someone with a DWI conviction if the job requires driving a vehicle, because of the high insurance rates caused by the DWI conviction
• If an accident was involved, additional court action and expense may be involved (if it was a serious accident, you may have only touched the "tip of the iceberg")
• There is really no such thing as "getting a ticket" for DWI (operating a vehicle while intoxicated). Tickets are only issued for traffic violations. DWI is not classified as a traffic violation under Louisiana law - IT'S A CRIMINAL OFFENSE!