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Princeton police report: targeted traffic enforcement, eight DWI arrests in October and DD rides suspended pending funding
Summary
The police chief reported that traffic enforcement produced 96 stops during an October campaign, officers made eight DWI arrests in October and the department suspended a designated-driver program that had provided more than 900 safe rides because funding is exhausted.
The Princeton Police Department reported to council on Nov. 24 that targeted traffic-enforcement efforts tied to a October Street Smart campaign produced 96 motor-vehicle stops at five high-crash locations and more than 52 hours of focused enforcement. The agency said the campaign included outreach events with partners such as Greater Mercer TMA and local businesses.
Chief (name not recorded on transcript) told the council officers made eight DWI arrests in October and that 36 DWI-related incidents have been recorded in 2025, surpassing last year’s total. One October incident involved a motor-vehicle collision in which a juvenile was seriously injured and required hospitalization.
The chief said the department’s designated-driver (DD) program — a public–private effort funded jointly by the police department and the police union and executed with Uber to provide safe rides home — provided more than 900 safe rides but has been suspended because program funding has been exhausted. He said staff are exploring grant opportunities with the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety and other avenues to reinstate the program ahead of the holiday season and that targeted patrols will be stepped up.
Next steps: police will pursue funding options to reinstate the DD program and continue targeted enforcement over the holiday season.
