More Jefferson City police patrolling Thanksgiving eve for impaired drivers

The Jefferson City Police Department will have more officers working than usual Wednesday in an effort to curb impaired driving.

In the past five years, the number of November DUI arrests Jefferson City has often been greater than the annual average.

According to crime data from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the number of November DUI arrests in Jefferson City was greater than the annual average from 2013 – 2016. In 2017, there were 11 DUI arrests in November, and the average for the year was 15.25 arrests per month.

Jefferson City police aim to find drivers that should not be behind the wheel.

On Wednesday evening, “additional officers will be on duty to assertively seek out impaired drivers,” said Sgt. Doug Ruediger. “The additional officers will be funded through grants provided by the Missouri Department of Transportation, Division of Highway and Traffic Safety.”

The number of DUI arrests in Jefferson City has been declining since 2016, when there were 240. In 2017, there were 183 DUI arrests.

Through October, there have been 133 DUI arrests in Jefferson City, or just over 13 per month. That is the lowest monthly average since 2013.