Decatur Police among top Illinois agencies for DUI arrests in 2022

DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) – The Decatur Police Department ranked among the top agencies in the state for DUI arrests in 2022. But that’s not unusual – they started cracking down more than a decade ago and haven’t slowed down since.

An annual Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists survey shows the D ecatur Police Department made 289 DUI arrests last year – the second-highest after the Aurora Police Department. Chicago was in its own category because of its size.

In 2020 and 2021, Decatur took first place. But Chief Shane Brandel says it’s not about the numbers, and there’s an important reason they made this a priority in the first place.

“Our goal is not to make arrests. Our goal is to keep the roadway safe and to save lives, and I’m certain that we’ve done that over the years,” Brandel said.

In October of 2005, 37-year-old Officer Robin Vogel was on patrol when a drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into her squad car. Vogel’s memorial…