Bloomfield Township police ramp up traffic patrols ahead of holidays
Heads up, drivers, you might see more police officers on the road in Metro Detroit in the next few weeks.
It's holiday time, which means police are on the lookout, especially in Bloomfield Township, where law enforcement is patrolling for drunk and impaired drivers.
"There are always drunk drivers at night. The one thing we have seen an uptick in is the drunk drivers in the morning time. Just this week alone, we've had two of those," said Bloomfield Hills Police Patrol Officer Elliott Wilson.
For the next few weeks, Bloomfield Township will be adding extra patrol officers on the roads.
Every year, the police department receives grant funding from the National Transportation Safety Organization to crack down during the holiday, specifically to target drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
"Since the beginning of this year, 2025, up to today, we've seen 137 arrests for just drunk driving. To put that in perspective of why we're doing this now, we've had about 25 in the last month," said Bloomfield Hills Police Sgt. Nick Soley.
While these types of drivers are the focus right now, officers are still keeping an eye on those distracted behind the wheel.
The police department tells CBS News Detroit that from jail time to court and attorney fees, costs add up, and the consequences are steep.
The goal behind this enforcement boost is to keep the roads safe and ultimately prevent a tragedy.
"We want people to know that we're out there, and we want them to make a conscious decision of planning their night out. Make a plan, have a sober friend, have a sober driver, order a rideshare. There are so many different avenues you can take to be responsible, and that's really what we're looking for," Soley said.