HELENA – Helena law enforcement say they saw a relatively uneventful St. Patrick’s Day weekend for people driving under the influence (DUI).
The Helena Police Department reported officers made 6 DUI arrests over the weekend.
HPD Captain Curt Stinson said the numbers were a little higher than they see on a average weekend, but not greatly out of proportion.
Stinson also noted most of the HPD reported DUI arrests came from calls relating to other incidents and not on traffic stops for suspicion of a DUI.
The Lewis and Clark Sheriff’s Department only made a single DUI arrest over the holiday weekend.
Sheriff Leo Dutton believes credit from the reduced drivers arrested by his deputies should go to people making smart decisions and tavern owners offering ride options.
“I really think that it’s the tavern owners who are stepping up, putting a concerted effort into getting their customers home safe and that really shows. That has changed our numbers, we only got one and I think it’s been a steady decline in the past 5 years,” said Dutton.
The Tri-County Licensed Beverage Association (Lewis & Clark, Broadwater, and Jefferson Counties of Montana) has been partnering with Uber for the last two years to offer free rides to tavern patrons in the area.
