Two New Jersey law enforcement officers were given awards for their number of driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrests in 2012. The two led their department in number of arrests. One of the problems with awards like these are that they presume the person who was arrested, was arrested properly and they encourage other officers to arrest more people for drunk driving. This could lead to arrests for people who were actually not intoxicated, but failed to answer police questions to their expectations or were unable to perform field sobriety tests with accuracy.
When people aren't able to perform certain tests, they can still be arrested for drunk driving, despite blood alcohol concentration testing that might suggest they were not drunk. It might be wise if someone is arrested for drunk driving in New Jersey to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Drunk driving charges in New Jersey can have a significant impact on a person's future. When someone is arrested, their name might be publicly announced related to the charges, and they might face impacts to their employment, especially if a license is required for their job.
When police officers are incentivized to pull people over and arrest them for drunk driving, it is possible that people will be pulled over and treated as drunk drivers despite not consuming a large amount of alcohol, or any amount at all. An attorney can help a person understand how the legal process works and help them form a rigorous criminal defense to protect their reputation and record.
Source: The Citizen, "Boonton police honored for drunk driving stops," June 25, 2013