If you drink and drive, you have a higher risk of getting caught in the Town of Normal than in most cities in the state.
Data from the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists show Normal police make more DUI arrests per officer than all but two other cities in Illinois. Bloomington ranks 11th of the 16 major metro areas for its DUI arrest rate.
Chief Rick Bleichner of Normal said DUI enforcement is a priority.
"You know we still lose people at the hands of impaired drivers at the rate of 25 to 27 a day in this country. And that's part of why this message is a little bittersweet to us is it's a preventable crime. We need everybody's help in order to try and prevent these from the future," said Bleichner.
The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists shows a 12.3 percent drop in DUI arrests in Bloomington last year and a14.6 percent increase in Normal. Bleichner said they will continue to emphasize that part of police work.
"Anybody who has had to talk to families after losing a loved one or specifically losing a child, you know it just tears your heart out," said Bleichner.
Bleichner said he's also happy that the DUI tally was spread among many officers, not just one or two who had huge numbers. He said that shows the department as a whole is is embracing the enforcement policy.
The Town of Normal also finished sixth on the list of Illinois cities for overall DUI arrests, with more than 300. Bloomington finished 11th with 229 DUI arrests last year.
