DUI Task Force

The East Valley DUI Task Force has been in operation for 25 years.

The DUI Task Force is a group of agencies that come together during the holidays and at times of greatest need to remove impaired drivers from our roadways. It consists of several police agencies as well as support agencies like the Archangels Foundation. The East Valley DUI Task Force has been in operation for 25 years. The West Valley DUI Task Force started before the East Valley but because of scheduling conflicts and other issues had been out of operation until the last couple of years. The Archangels Foundation has been helping to coordinate and has worked closely with the East Valley Task Force for almost 10 years and is now also operational for the last couple of years in the West Valley thanks to some wonderful volunteers that live on the West side of town.

The purpose of the Task Force is not only to take impaired drivers off of the streets....

The ArchAngels Foundation works tirelessly to support and help further the efforts of the DUI Task Force at each Holiday time. Starting at the beginning of the Year with St. Patrick's Day followed by Cinco De Mayo, Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July weekend, Labor Day weekend, Halloween, DUI awareness week and finally the big push throughout the Christmas Holiday Season. Various law enforcement agencies throughout the Valley participate at different levels with the DUI Task Force during the year. On most of the Holidays during the year the different agencies work their own cities with saturation points; in some cases we will have two to four agencies come together to work various areas. A saturation point is when two or more agencies come together in a specific city and saturate that city with officers that are only looking for impaired drivers. Around the 2nd weekend of December a 14-day task force that is made up of most of the agencies and departments throughout the valley begins and goes through to New Year's Eve. The highest saturated area is the East Valley with up to 10 or more departments, and 5 or more departments covering the West Valley. The purpose of the Task Force is not only to take impaired drivers off of the streets but also to make contact with as many citizens as possible to raise awareness of the need for extra precaution and responsible drinking.

These officers put their lives on the line every time they are out on the road.

The ArchAngels Foundation spends many hours planning and working to provide food for the officers during this time period. This gives the officers the ability to eat prior to hitting the road and to keep their health and strength up, maximizing the time that they can spend on the road making these contacts. Many hours are spent away from their families during the Holiday time to increase the safety for those of us on the roadways. These officers put their lives on the line every time they are out on the road. Many of these officers have been hit and injured by impaired drivers during the Holiday season. During the summer months when temperatures hit 115 º and the motor officers are in helmets and protective vests it takes its toll on them physically but they know the importance of the job they are doing and continue. Then they turn around and in winter months they are dealing with Temperatures at the other end of the spectrum, sometimes in the 20's and low 30's; on a motorcycle, these conditions can be brutal.

Thanks to the generous assistance and sponsorship from GoDaddy.com we will have an easier time during the 2006 season to provide food, water, and Gatorade etc. for the officers.

In partnership with SADD and the Governor's office for Highway Safety as well as other proactive organizations we continue to look for new ways to improve safety on the roads and Highways for everyone.

We encourage the Citizens of the Valley and throughout Arizona to step up....

The Archangels offer whatever services we can provide to these departments throughout the Task Forces in terms of education, community relations and information. We encourage the Citizens of the Valley and throughout Arizona to step up and do their part to spread the word to be a responsible drinkers and don't drive. Make that decision before the first drink is taken because your judgment starts going after the first drink. Live and let others live to enjoy the next day.