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How much of an issue is intoxicated driving in your part of the world?
I live in Wisconsin, USA where we have a high rate of DUIs. The USA in general has a large problem due to our driving focused culture. Oddly enough, we drink less than most other western countries but drive drunk more.
Hard to say, there are a little less than 7,500 officers serving a population of a little less than 6 million, spread around in a rather large area. The cuts and constant restructuring over the last few years have left alot less police units working the field during nights, weekends, and several holidays. I'm not sure how productive are DUI checkpoints during Mon-Fri business hours, which is almost the only time you see such missions anymore. During the days and hours when people commonly tend to drink, the few police units (or in many precincts the only one, which might also act as the only backup for the lone unit in the next precinct 100 km down the road) on duty these days are quite busy running from call to call.
Norway: 0.02%. Punishment depends on the alcohol level. 0.02% (fine, but one may also risk a suspended licence if any aggravated circumstances are present.), 0.05% (fine, suspended sentence and suspended license), 0.10% (fine, suspended or mandatory sentence and suspended license), 0.15% (fine, mandatory sentence and suspended license). The guidelines state that the fine for an alcohol level of more than 0.05% should be around 1.5 months base salary and usually not lower than 10.000 NOK ($1,333). For 0.02-0.05% the fine is lower. Prison sentences are usually around 3 weeks to 3 months with a maximum of 1 year. The suspension period varies from less than a year to 2 years.
Hard to say, there are a little less than 7,500 officers serving a population of a little less than 6 million, spread around in a rather large area. The cuts and constant restructuring over the last few years have left alot less police units working the field during nights, weekends, and several holidays. I'm not sure how productive are DUI checkpoints during Mon-Fri business hours, which is almost the only time you see such missions anymore. During the days and hours when people commonly tend to drink, the few police units (or in many precincts the only one, which might also act as the only backup for the lone unit in the next precinct 100 km down the road) on duty these days are quite busy running from call to call.
Ask your friends about their attitudes. I don't know how often you see cops in Seinäjoki, but on my adventures here in Turku I frequently see police stopping motorists who they suspect driving drunk, even on weekend nights. And if you come from a festival, like Ruisrock or Kotkan meripäivät you can guarantee that there's a razzia somewhere. Of course now when the Liikkuva Poliisi (Highway Patrol) has been cancelled, the probabilities to get caught is likely diminished, at least outside the largest population centers. Still, I just looked at the stats, and the level from 2014 has dropped just a few %, so maybe the cuts aren't that catastrophic.
Ask your friends about their attitudes. I don't know how often you see cops in Seinäjoki, but on my adventures here in Turku I frequently see police stopping motorists who they suspect driving drunk, even on weekend nights. And if you come from a festival, like Ruisrock or Kotkan meripäivät you can guarantee that there's a razzia somewhere. Of course now when the Liikkuva Poliisi (Highway Patrol) has been cancelled, the probabilities to get caught is likely diminished, at least outside the largest population centers. Still, I just looked at the stats, and the level from 2014 has dropped just a few %, so maybe the cuts aren't that catastrophic.
About a decade ago, it was a given to have at least 8 police field units (16 officers) on duty in the area of Southern Ostrobothnia at any given time, each station having at least one unit on duty at all times. And this was the minimum, i'm talking about the least busy shifts such as sunday nights or christmas eve and the like, not counting the 20 or so officers assigned to Liikkuva Poliisi if a few of them happened to be out. I'll admit, some of the units weren't busy at all, though if a call came, there was always a unit within a reasonable distance. That was also a time when any citizen with a VHF receiver could open up the police dispatch frequency and verify that themselves
That number was down to 5 units, when the police precincts became consolidated into the "Southern Ostrobothnian Police", and the number of police working the field has since been cut even more. Deepest cuts being on any shifts that pay officers shift differentials. Such as nights, weekends, and holidays. When the 1000 or so officers recently held a demonstration and march in Helsinki, this was one of their main concerns. I'd like to see the manpower adjusted to levels equivalent to what other Nordic countries have. United Nations recommends a minimum police strength of 222 per 100,000 people, which is what countries such as Sweden and Norway more or less meet. Finland would need to be over 12,000 officers strong to achieve that.
An empty police van parked on Turun Kauppatori, while technically bringing more police visibility, isn't bottom line still going to pull over a single suspected DUI or stop a street robbery from occurring. I'll be back to taking crime stats more seriously when the number of law enforcement is actually brought on par with most other industrialized first world countries.
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