Police presence rises for St. Patrick’s Day

March 17, 8:51 AMOakland Crime ExaminerAndrew Harrison

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Photo courtesy of Hawkins.

Saint Patrick’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year, but bad timing hasn’t cramped the holiday’s typically boisterous style. Indeed, the city has been partying it up since last Friday.

As with any drinking holiday, police departments across the capital region have stepped up their street presence, meaning an abundance of foot patrols and DUI checkpoints to keep revelers in order.

To help intoxicated partiers get home – and keep them from getting behind the wheel – the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (www.wrap.org) will be offering its free SoberRide program until Wednesday, March 18. Customers can call a SoberRide operator for a free cab ride home (up to a $50 fare; customers pay the difference). You have to be 21 or older, and your DC Crime Examiner encourages would-be patrons not to abuse the service.

Penalties for DUI in Maryland, DC and Virginia do vary, but all impose penalties on drivers with blood alcohol levels of .08% or higher, and refusal to take a blood alcohol test administered by a police officer is universally regarded as an admission of guilt.

Consequences range from suspension of your driver’s license to hefty fines and community service. Tack on the sobering cost of buying insurance with a DUI on your record, which can reach several thousand dollars yearly, to get a clearer picture of why you should drive… well… sober.

To call a SoberRide operator, dial 1-800-200-TAXI.