Elgin made 276 DUI arrests in 2021, placing it at No. 4 in the state outside Chicago, new study shows

Drunken driving arrests in Elgin increased by 18.5% in 2021, putting the city in the top five for overall arrests in Illinois outside of Chicago, according to the latest statistics compiled by the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists.

Elgin police officers made 276 DUI arrests last year, up from 233 arrests in 2020, an AAIM survey of 700 police departments showed.

“We believe that the increase in DUI arrests in 2021 is directly tied to the relaxation of COVID restrictions, which led to the establishments being open again, people attending gatherings and simply more drivers on the roadways,” Elgin police Sgt. Mike Martino said.

Aurora ranked No. 2 in the state, making with 325 busts in 2021 — 125 more than the previous year, the survey found.

The department with the most arrests was Decatur, which booked 353 people for drunken driving in 2021, statistics show.

Rounding out the top five were Lombard in third, Elgin in fourth and Franklin Park in fifth.

Franklin Park had the most dramatic year-to-year increase, going from 133 arrests in 2020 to 255 in 2021 — a 91.7% jump. With just 46 sworn officers, that number equals 5.54 arrests per person.

Elgin has 184 sworn officers, making its per-officer arrest rate 1.5, the statistics show.

The officer who had the highest number of arrests in Illinois last year was State Trooper Eric David, who stopped 298 drunken drivers.

“The Elgin Police Department takes DUI enforcement very seriously due to the far-reaching effects it can have on victims, their families and the community,” Martino said.

“With all the different options available to get to your destination safely, including rideshare companies, taxi services, friends and family, there is no excuse to drive intoxicated and put your life and someone else’s at risk,” he said.

AAIM, a nonprofit group dedicated to eliminating intoxicated driving, has conducted the DUI survey for 32 years. It’s funded by a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.