Acting Attorney General John Hoffman has committed $84,000 to 21 NJ police departments with the goal of preventing drunk driving during Super Bowl week.

It has been estimated that there will be an influx of as many as 400,000 people in the NJ area this week. Since it is Super Bowl week, many of these people figure to be football fans participating in alcohol-fueled celebrations in anticipation of the big game. Arrest data indicates that the number of drunk driving arrests made on Super Bowl Sunday typically rivals the number of drunk driving arrests on other major holidays, such as New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and July 4th. In the past 10 years, approximately 1,500 NJ drivers were arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) on July 4th. During that same time period, more than 1,600 NJ drivers have been busted for DUI on Super Bowl Sunday.

At a press conference in Hackensack, NJ, Hoffman officially announced the “Sobriety Blitz” program. The program calls for $84,000 in funds to be distributed equally among 21 law enforcement agencies located near MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford NJ, where the Super Bowl will be played on Sunday. The local departments that received funds include agencies in Teaneck, Montclair, Belleville, Clifton, Fort Lee, North Bergen, Rutherford, and Bloomfield.

Each department is expected to use the grant of funds to increase saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints.

The local departments will be assisted by the New Jersey State Police, the Hackensack Medical Center, the division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, and the NJ division of Highway Traffic Safety.

The “Sobriety Blitz” initiative is intended to discourage drunk drivers and keep NJ residents and visitors safe during Super Bowl week. The program is also part of a larger effort by NJ law enforcement to target bars in North Jersey that may be involved in prostitution or sex trafficking.

To learn more, read the NJ.com article entitled “Super Bowl ‘Sobriety Blitz’: Attorney General Announces Crackdown during Week of the Game.”

If you are facing drunk driving or DUI charges in New Jersey, contact Morristown NJ criminal defense attorney Alissa D. Hascup for a free consultation about your case.