Anti-DWI campaign nets 4,430 arrests

State and local law enforcement officers arrested 4,430 people on drunken driving charges during an annual holiday crackdown, the governor's has announced.

The "Booze It & Lose It" campaign ran from Dec. 1 to Jan. 4, when the Highway Patrol and local police agencies set up sobriety checkpoints across the state. Altogether, officers issued 155,067 traffic and criminal citations.

Officers issued 13,163 citations in Wake County, more than any other county in the state. That included 279 DWI charges.

In Durham County, there were 4,649 citations, including 87 DWI arrests. In Johnston County, citations totaled 2,869, including 75 DWI arrests. Orange County had 1,733 citations, including 48 DWI arrests. And Chatham County had 1,330 total citations, including 26 DWI charges.

Overall, the numbers did not change significantly from the previous year's "Booze It & Lose It" campaign, when officers charged 4,367 people with DWI and issued a total of 155,194 citations for various traffic and criminal offenses.

The Governor's Highway Safety Program this week also announced the dates of upcoming enforcement campaigns. They include:

* March 13-17: St. Patrick's Day "Booze It & Lose It"

* March 30-April 5: "No Need 2 Speed"

* May 18-31: "Click It or Ticket"

* June 29-July 5: Operation Firecracker "Booze It & Lose It"

* Aug. 21-Sept.7: Labor Day "Booze It & Lose It"

* Oct. 30-Nov. 1: Halloween "Booze It & Lose It"

* Nov. 16-29: "No Need 2 Speed"

* Dec. 4-Jan. 3, 2010: Holiday "Booze It & Lose It"