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Great Falls police made seven DUI arrests Friday night, “probably about normal” for New Year’s Eve, said Lt. Tito Rodriguez.
The police were geared up with as many as 19 patrollers working at times during the traditional night of public celebrating, he said, and many were kept busy responding to disturbance calls, especially after 2 a.m. Saturday.
If police weren’t responding to so many disturbances, they would have patrolled more streets and probably made more DUI arrests, Rodriguez said.
But the number of drunken drivers may have been kept down by well-publicized programs like McCullough’s Wrecker Service and other businesses and agencies, which offer free rides home or vehicle tows on New Year’s Eve, he said.
“McCullough’s alone provided 85 free rides home,” Rodriquez said, and Malmstrom Air Force Base also provides a service to keep its members from driving after drinking.
“There’s really no excuse any more to drink and drive with such assistance available,” he added.