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Trenton
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director
Jerry Fischer today announced a new initiative
designed to provide information to ABC on
where individuals who have been charged
with drunk driving were consuming alcohol
immediately prior to their arrest.
Implemented under Attorney General Law Enforcement
Directive No. 2007-2, the new effort will
provide detailed information on whether
or not an individual was drinking in a licensed
commercial establishment, such as a bar
or restaurant, before being stopped and
arrested for driving under the influence.
The information, which would be noted on
a form completed by the arresting officer,
would include the name and address of the
establishment.
According to Attorney General Milgram, that
information would then be sent to the Division
of Alcoholic Beverage Control, where it
will be entered into a data base and used
to enhance intelligence information for
both division investigators and local law
enforcement officers working to identify
establishments that may have a history of
serving intoxicated patrons.
“By
capturing information on where patrons had
their last drink, we can further law enforcement
efforts to prevent drunk driving and quality
of life problems that can arise in a community
from the over-consumption of alcohol,”
Attorney General Milgram said.
ABC Director Jerry Fischer noted that under
the state’s alcoholic beverage control
laws, liquor licensees cannot serve or sell
alcohol to any person actually or apparently
intoxicated in a licensed premises.
“This
information will help to establish patterns
in the service of alcohol at bars and restaurants
that can be used to more effectively prevent
drunk driving and the potentially serious
consequences that can result from the over-consumption
of alcohol,” ABC Director Fischer
said.
The initiative is a coordinated effort with
the Division of State Police’s Alcohol
Drug Test Unit, the Fatal Accident Unit,
and the Division of Highway Traffic Safety
and will be incorporated in training being
provided to all police agencies by the state.
Information on the new initiative will also
be disseminated to all local law enforcement
agencies.
“Alcohol
continues to be a key factor in highway
fatalities, and more than 30 percent of
all crashes in New Jersey involve intoxicated
drivers,” Division of Highway Traffic
Safety Director Pam Fischer said. “We
must continue to find new and innovative
ways to prevent anyone who has been drinking
from getting behind the wheel. By working
together with the ABC, the State Police,
local law enforcement and licensed establishments,
we can take positive steps towards protecting
all New Jerseyans, both on and off our roadways.”
>>
Attorney
General Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-2
(843k
pdf)
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