Pierce County Police Departments Deploy DUI Patrols

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — Several law enforcement agencies around Pierce County deployed Friday night for annual DUI emphasis patrols. The "Night of 1,000 Stars" is part of Target Zero, an initiative aiming to eliminate preventable deaths on the roadways by 2030.

In Tacoma alone, officers have handled 21 crashes with fatalities this year. The overnight patrols were slated to begin at 8 p.m. Friday, concluding at 4 a.m. Saturday. Officers from the Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup, Orting and Buckley police departments were scheduled to participate in the emphasis patrols, along with troopers from Washington State Patrol.

"The Tacoma Police DEpartment would like to remind those celebrating and drinking this holiday season to make a plan for a sober driver ahead of time, so everyone can get home safely," Tacoma police officials wrote Friday. "There is no excuse for impaired driving."