Authorities Arrest 52 In Countywide DUI Warrant Sweep

Newark police joined numerous officers and deputies throughout Alameda County in a countywide DUI warrant sweep Wednesday morning.

The countywide law enforcement effort, which resulted in 52 arrests, is part of an annual warrant sweep that has been executed for the past five years, according to Jan Ford, public information director for Avoid the 21, a campaign sponsored by the Office of Traffic Safety and the Alameda County Chiefs of Police Association.

Officers with the attempted to serve 13 warrants within their jurisdiction and booked one man into jail for his no bail warrant, according to a press release issued by Newark police.

Wednesday’s sweep, led by Livermore police officer Traci Rebiejo, began with a 6 a.m. briefing at the County Office of Emergency Services in Dublin. The 550 warrants were divided up among teams of officers from cities throughout Alameda County.

Individuals identified through the warrants that were approved by judges are said to have not followed court orders from their DUI arrests.

After the briefing, the teams set out for violators’ homes and job sites to make arrests. Those rounded up were taken to the Santa Rita Jail. More arrests may be made in the coming days.

Wednesday’s countywide effort is part of Avoid the 21– a statewide campaign that aims to decrease the number of impaired drivers on the roadways. 

The program, which includes 21 separate law enforcement agencies in Alameda County, is based on education and zero tolerance enforcement of driving while under the influence. The campaign runs from mid-December through Jan. 3 each year.

“Our main focus is DUI arrests and DUI prevention,” Ford said. “This warrant service completes the loop.”

Ford said it may be a couple of days before it is known exactly which cities made arrests but she added that the sweep was a success.

“We brought in quite a few scofflaws today,” she said. “The repeat offenders are very, very dangerous."

Avoid the 21 is sponsored by the Office of Traffic Safety and the Alameda County Chiefs of Police Association. For more information, visit http://www.californiaavoid.org.