Monthly Archives: December 2013

New Year, New DUI Pilot Program

As of the New Year, drivers in 5 Washington counties/ municipalities that are found to be under the influence for a second or subsequent time will face tougher punishment. The 24/7 DUI Monitoring Program will take place in: Chelan County, Spokane County, and Thurston County, as well as in the cities of Kent and Centralia. Drivers… Continue Reading »

$27 fine to Smoke Pot in Seattle City Limits

As everyone pretty much knows by now, in 2012 Washington state voters approved I-502 legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana, and directing the Liquor Control Board to develop a process for regulating marijuana production, processing, selling, and delivery. I-502 includes a provision creating a civil infraction for consuming marijuana in public, with a fine… Continue Reading »

Emphasis Patrols Up and Running

Law enforcement personnel throughout our state have resumed Washington’s annual ‘holiday crackdown’.  As of this past weekend emphasis patrols are in full force and effect. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission coordinated the effort and a publicity campaign across our state has kicked off, inclusive of highlighting marijuana-impaired drivers, who exhibit delayed reaction times; if there were any doubt,… Continue Reading »

DUI Work Group Report Delivered, Changes to Follow?

The 2013 Washington Impaired Driving Work Group delivered a 152-page report on Monday of this week. The report suggested that Washington state should continue its fight against drunken driving by increasing penalties and establishing random sobriety checkpoints. The group who wrote the report considered 11 specific ideas for reducing DUIs, ranking them according to overall… Continue Reading »

That Crime Fightin' Turkey

Crazy as it may seem, Operation ‘Butterball One’ was in full force and effect this past week in Las Vegas. Drivers who didn’t stop at designated cross walks received a $191 ticket; motorcycle officers were standing by to write citations in an effort to keep the pedestrian death-rate down. Operation Butterball One was instituted because… Continue Reading »