SPOKANE, Wash. – Hoopfest is set to bring nearly 250,000 people to the streets of downtown Spokane this weekend. With such a large crowd expected, local law enforcement is concentrating on preventing impaired driving.
Two years ago, a DUI driver drove into the actual event, highlighting the importance of this focus. Washington State Patrol (WSP) has announced a partnership with Spokane Police, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, and Spokane Valley Police to combat drunk driving throughout the weekend.
“It’s really important. We average about 30-35 DUIs just this weekend,” said Officer Teresa Fuller with the Spokane Police Department. Helicopters will assist ground patrols in spotting impaired drivers, while extra WSP motorcycle units will be stationed along I-90.
“We want people to see that we’re down here,” emphasized Officer Mike Thomas with the Spokane Police Department. “We want them to see that there’s police officers, police cars, on foot, on motorcycles, in cars, and up in the air.”
The WSP Mobile Impaired Driving Unit (MIDU) will be stationed at the Spokane Convention Center. The MIDU serves as a full-service police station on wheels.
“It really is,” stated Officer Thomas. “We have a couple of breath test instruments in the driving unit. We also have two holding cells in there – people from all over the United States come to Hoopfest, and we want them to have a safe and enjoyable encounter. We want them to have a safe and enjoyable event really. We don’t want there to be any incidents.”
As many look forward to the festivities and events of Hoopfest weekend, WSP reminds drivers to stay sober or face getting pulled over.
