photo by: Chris Conde

A Lawrence Police Department vehicle is seen in this file photo from September 2018.

Lawrence police during a recent campaign reportedly made 23 arrests for suspected driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

From Aug. 15 through Labor Day, Sept. 2, the “You Drink. You Drive. You Lose.” campaign resulted in 1,019 law enforcement contacts, according to numbers provided by Officer Shawn Gross of LPD. Extra officers were on patrol to seek out drivers who showed signs of impaired driving and other traffic violations.

Lawrence police participated as part of the statewide effort funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation. A news release from LPD announcing the campaign’s launch cited KDOT statistics that say drugs and alcohol are implicated in 40% of crash-related deaths on Kansas roadways.

On Tuesday afternoon, Gross provided this roundup from the initiative:

• Speeding: 282

• DUI (Alcohol and/or drug): 23

• Non-DUI arrests made: 11

• Belt, child (0-13): 2

• Belt, youth (14-17): 0

• Belt, adult (18 and older): 116

• Texting while driving: 11

• All other citations (no arrests): 140

• Standardized field sobriety tests administered without arrests: 32

• Total citations issued: 574

• Total law enforcement contacts: 1,019

In addition, LPD conducted a DUI saturation patrol on Friday, Sept. 6, and it will do so again this Friday, Sept. 13. Extra officers will be looking out for impaired drivers throughout Lawrence city limits, according to a news release from the department.