McKinley County DWI Program Hosts 5K Walk to Combat Impaired Driving

McKinley County ranks highest in New Mexico for alcohol deaths per capita, a figure that translates to daily risk for everyone traveling Route 66, Aztec Avenue, or any stretch of road across the county. On March 29, program coordinator Denisse Riffle and the McKinley County DWI Program channeled that urgency into a DWI Awareness 5K Walk/Run, a community event timed ahead of April's Alcohol Awareness Month that placed treatment and prevention resources directly in front of Gallup residents.

Participants could register online before the event or sign up in person on the day, giving families, individuals in recovery, and neighbors affected by impaired-driving crashes a low-barrier way to engage. The 5K doubled as a live access point: program staff and partner organizations were on hand to connect attendees with the county's full range of DWI services.

Those services extend well beyond a single morning walk. The program operates victim-impact panels, coordinates treatment referrals, assists residents with ignition interlock installations, and offers counseling referrals for people managing alcohol use disorder. Ongoing prevention education and volunteer opportunities in community outreach round out its year-round programming.

The DWI Program's enforcement network is equally broad. The McKinley County DWI Task Force draws from six agencies: the McKinley County Sheriff's Office, Gallup Police Department, New Mexico State Police, Navajo Nation Police, Zuni Police, and Ramah Navajo Police. That multi-agency structure, funded through a New Mexico Department of Transportation grant, is built on the premise that no single agency or strategy can address the problem alone.

Anyone who wants to connect with DWI services can reach the program at 2105 East Aztec Ave in Gallup by calling (505) 726-8249. Program information and updates are also available through the county DWI pages and social media throughout Alcohol Awareness Month.