DATE: 12/26/17
CONTACT: Sgt. Mike Douglass
NATURE: Operation Choose Your Ride 

The APD Traffic Section will offer citizens located within the City of Aurora, 21years old and older, the ability to call the police department at 303-627-3100, and an officer will respond and provide a ride home if the driver feels they are impaired and not safe to drive a motor vehicle.

• The program will run on Friday 12/29/17, Saturday 12/30/17 and Sunday 12/31/17 from 9:00 PM to 2:30 AM.
• The driver and up to one passenger will be given a verbal presentation on the protocol our officers follow on a routine DUI arrest, (explanation of probable cause for a traffic stop, indicators we look for from the driver for DUI or DUI-D, Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, Preliminary Breath Tests, expressed consent law, Detox vs. Jail, possible penalties and fines, towing fees, etc.).
• Educational materials will be given to all participants, along with a discussion of the consequences of impaired driving.
• All drivers and passengers must be 21years of age to participate, be willing to be searched prior to being allowed in the police vehicle, must provide valid ID, clearance through CCIC/NCIC/DOR will be done, and they will be required to sign a liability waiver prior to being allowed in a police vehicle.
• This program will be provided to the limits of available manpower assigned to the program.If capacity is exceeded, callers will be given suggestions for alternative transportation (taxi, ride services, friends, family), or put on a wait list.
• Officers will transport participants from any location in Aurora to the participant’s home as long as it is within 10 miles of the City of Aurora border.
• Officers assigned to this program will have body cameras, and they will be activated during the duration of the contact with participants.
• The responding officer will have full discretion to refuse this service to anyone if the officer feels it would be unsafe to continue due to extreme intoxication, uncooperative behavior, etc.
• The DUI taxi will be used as one of the transport vehicles, and the rest will be marked police cars to get the most exposure for the program.
• Additional officers will be assigned as DUI enforcement units in case a driver chooses to drive while impaired or intoxicated and is contacted.

The media point of contact for this program will be Sgt. Mike Douglass from the Traffic Section.  Sgt. Douglass can be reached at 303-739-6293, or [email protected]