4th Of July "No Refusal Weekend" Begins Tonight
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The 4th of July "No Refusal" Weekend begins at 6:00 p.m.
As a part of the enforcement push, anyone suspected of driving or boating while intoxicated, and who refuses to submit to a breathalyzer test, will have a search warrant issued against them for police to take a blood specimen.
Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney Richard Alpert believes the program is having a positive impact.
"Every year there's been a decrease in the number of filed cases," he said. "So, I attribute that to the program and I expect that at the end of this calendar year we'll once again have a reduction."
Now, in Tarrant County Tarrant County Alpert says being arrested won't be the only humiliation.
"They will also not be able to keep their arrest a secret. The names of those individuals that are charged with DWI, that are arrested during this program, will be posted on the Tarrant County DA's office website."
To help with enforcement Tarrant County even established a "blood draw school" to train officers on how to take blood from suspects. Alpert says half a dozen law enforcement officers have completed the training.
"They are graduates of a school that was done in conjunction with Tarrant County College and John Peter Smith Hospital," he said.
The 4th of July No Refusal Weekend runs through 6 a.m. on July 5.
