Enforcement. Multi jurisdictional DUI task forces have proved very successful in the Scottsdale area by providing cooperation and support among the different agencies and jurisdictions. Up to ten different Maricopa County and State law enforcement agencies have participated in the task forces. These operations were highly praised by the police officers we interviewed and by judges but are typically conducted only during holiday periods.

The Scottsdale Police Department routinely operates special DUI police units. General patrol officers, after making a stop, can call for a DUI unit to handle further processing of the suspect. This procedure is frequently followed. When a citizen complaint is received, the nearest patrol car is dispatched. When conditions permit, the officer responding to the complaint tries to observe driving patterns before stopping the suspected impaired driver. After a vehicle stop, the officer will question the driver. If the officer suspects the driver of being under the influence or intoxicated, standardized field sobriety testing (SFST) will be administered. If the driver demonstrates impairment, the officer arrests and places the suspect into the patrol car. The suspect's vehicle is legally parked or towed at the owner's choice. The officer then completes a uniform traffic ticket (UTT), and a record check of the suspect is run on the computer in the patrol car. The suspect's driving history is checked to find out whether the offense is a misdemeanor or a felony. Felony charges are made when there are two prior DUI offenses, the DUI offense occurs on a suspended or revoked driver license, if a child under the age of 15 is in the vehicle, or if a death or serious injury has resulted from a crash.