A recent article in The Examiner reported that DWI arrests are already beginning to increase in the holiday season. The article indicated that with Thanksgiving and other subsequent holidays approaching, police organization all over the North Texas region have started their anti-DWI campaign on November 22, 2010. The campaign has been named “Home for the Holidays.”
The main goal of this program is to make every attempt to lessen the amount of injuries and deaths from DWI incidents according to the article. However, viewed from a defense lawyer’s point of view, the main goal of the program is to make DWI arrests. The reason is that DWI arrests can mean big revenue for the State of Texas. A conviction for DWI results in an annual administrative surcharge to the individual of $1,000 for three years, up to a $2,000 fine for a first offense and the state gets up to 100 of free work on the highways or otherwise through community service if the defendant gets probation instead of jail time.
The article indicates that at least 14 extra Dallas police officers will be assigned to search for drivers who are DWI.