Raleigh Launches DWI Unit, Statewide Holiday Enforcement Campaign
Raleigh officials announced a new Driving While Impaired unit funded by a $553,707 state grant and launched the Holiday Booze It and Lose It campaign to reduce drunk driving during the holiday season. The measures include three dedicated officers, increased patrols and sobriety checkpoints, and expanded public outreach, which matters for Wake County drivers who face heightened enforcement and safety messaging.
City and state officials held a news conference on December 12 to unveil the Raleigh Police Department Driving While Impaired unit and to announce the start of the Holiday Booze It and Lose It campaign. The unit was established with a $553,707 grant from the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program and will fund three officers, along with equipment, supplies and training. Law enforcement agencies across the state began stepped up patrols and sobriety checkpoints the same day.
The initiative pairs enforcement with public education aimed at reducing alcohol and drug related crashes. Local leaders emphasized the human toll of impaired driving and the unit’s outreach responsibilities. “My cousin was hit by a drunk driver and paralyzed from the waist down 27 years ago. I have seen firsthand how this tragic incident fundamentally changed his life and that of the entire family,” Mayor Jane Cowell said. “I’m grateful to the Governor’s Highway Safety program for focusing on the devastating impacts of driving while impaired and for this generous grant to help us keep residents in Raleigh safe.”
Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce framed the work as both preventive and enforcement oriented. “Alcohol-related crashes are painful for everyone involved,” Boyce said. “The work of the DWI Unit is centered on stopping the kinds of tragic and entirely preventable incidents that change families’ lives forever.” Mark Ezzell, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, added that the collaboration seeks to lower serious injuries and fatalities in the Raleigh area. “Far too often, people make poor decisions that have serious and sometimes deadly consequences. We’re hopeful this collaboration will reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries in the Raleigh area.”
The announcement included statewide data to underscore the stakes. Last year more than 11,000 alcohol related crashes resulted in 361 deaths across North Carolina, with 19 of those fatalities occurring in Wake County. For local residents the new unit and campaign mean more visible enforcement on holiday nights, increased checkpoints and targeted outreach aimed at preventing tragedies. Officials reminded drivers to never drink and drive, designate a sober driver, or use taxi or rideshare services. The DWI unit will continue outreach and enforcement through the holiday period to try to reduce the number of alcohol related crashes in Wake County.
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