Summary-(King County) The King County Sheriff’s Office will conduct increased DUI patrols starting this month in Southeast King County. The increased patrols will continue until the end of the year. Focus will be on arresting impaired drivers and educating the public and businesses before impaired drivers hit the road.

Story- The King County Sheriff’s Office will be sending out extra patrols in the southeast area of the county over the next few months targeting DUI drivers.

The Sheriff’s Office plans to attack the DUI problem by not only making arrests, but will also educate the public and businesses that sell alcohol in an effort to keep impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel.

The deputies on the extra patrols will begin their shifts stopping by bars in the focus area and telling employees about the DUI emphasis patrols. Deputies will offer suggestions on dealing with intoxicated patrons, options on getting them home safety (friends, taxi’s, etc) and encourage them to call the police if they see an impaired person attempting to drive.

Deputies will spend the remainder of the shift patrolling and looking for impaired drivers. When an arrest is made, if the deputy determines the driver had been drinking at a business, the deputy will contact the business and advise them a customer has been stopped and arrested. Closing the loop with businesses will emphasize the consequences of over-serving and the civil liabilities a business can incur.

The Sheriff’s Office said the southeast emphasis will start Friday, October 14th and will continue through the rest of the year. More DUI enforcement will be conducted in other parts of King County as well.