In 2015, the Truckee Police Department led a communitywide campaign to reduce the number of DUI accidents and arrests after there was a significant spike in 2014.

The efforts paid off.

There was an overall reduction of 48 percent in arrests for DUI drivers and a 47 percent decrease in DUI related traffic collisions for the year. Last year there were 83 driving under the influence arrests and 12 traffic collisions caused by DUI drivers. One was a fatality that involved a solo driver.

In 2014, there were 161 DUI arrests by Truckee officers and 23 traffic collisions caused by DUI drivers.

The same number of police officers were on patrol in 2014 as in 2015 and the department did not have any change in its enforcement posture.

“In essence, we believe the reduction in arrests and crashes was the result of a collaborative effort between the community and their police department. The department led this discussion and implemented a number of actions directed at making our roadways safer,” the department said in a statement. “We introduced a robust community discussion about alcohol abuse in Truckee; we reallocated one police officer position to partner with the community on alcohol education, DUI prevention, and worked closely with the courts to address habitual offenders.”

It is also believed that increased transit opportunities in form of shuttles to and from events such as Truckee Thursdays and New Year’s Eve cut down on the drinking and driving incidents.

According to TPD data, 49 of the 83 people arrested for DUI in 2015 had a primary Truckee-Tahoe address.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report