Naperville police made 258 drunken driving arrests in 2024, a 51.8% increase over the 170 made in 2023, according to the annual survey by the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists.
The number put the city at No. 4 on the list of top 10 municipalities with the most DUI arrests. In last year’s survey, Naperville ranked No. 15.
Neighboring Aurora took the No. 1 spot this year, with 473 DUI arrests in 2024, a 29.2% jump from 2023. Aurora also took the top spot in last year’s AAIM survey.
Rockford came in at No. 2 with 359 arrests, a 32.5% increase from 2023, and West Chicago was No. 3, seeing a 31.2% increase with 269 arrests.
Rounding out the top 10 were Decatur (246), Elgin (245), Elmhurst (225), River Grove (224), Franklin Park (212) and Joliet (211).
Due to its size, Chicago is separated into its own category and not included in the report.
When asked about what was behind the increase, Naperville police Cmdr. Rick Krakow said there is not one definitive explanation.
“There’s so many factors that go into making any arrest, but specifically for DUI in terms of the driving behavior and everything,” Krakow said. “I’d like to say, ‘Oh, the officers were out there and more proactively patrolling,’ but the reality of it is that they’re always doing that.”
Still, Krakow emphasized that DUI enforcement is a top priority for Naperville police.
“We’re committed to making our roadways in the city as safe as possible and we’re proud of the work that our men and women are doing out there to to keep everyone safe,” Krakow said.
AAIM is an Illinois nonprofit dedicated to preventing deaths and injuries caused by chemically impaired or distracted drivers of motor vehicles or watercraft. The group was founded in 1982 by victims of drunk driving, according to an AAIM news release.
The organization has conducted annual surveys of Illinois police agencies for the last 35 years, analyzing the number of DUI arrests police make every year. For this year’s survey, 700 police agencies were surveyed and 81% responded. The survey is funded by a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Other departments that saw significant increases in drunken driving arrests include River Grove, up 67.2%, and Springfield with a 53.3% jump. Springfield also took the No. 12 spot for most DUI arrests in 2024 (207), falling just behind Lombard (208).
Naperville had a rate of 1.4 DUI arrests per officer in 2024. River Grove had the highest DUI arrest rate in the state, with 7 arrests per officer. West Chicago had a rate of 5.72 arrest per officer, placing it at second.
“Each arrest reflects the hard work and dedication of the officers who put themselves on the line every day. Their efforts help protect lives and prevent families from experiencing the pain of a crash,” AAIM Executive Director Rita Kreslin said in the press release.
On a county level, the Will County Sheriff’s Office cracked the top 5 for the sheriff’s departments with the most DUI arrests, coming in at No. 5 with 133 arrests. It is a drop its No. 4/186 arrests last year. DuPage County saw an increase from last year, jumping from the No. 18 spot with 77 arrests to No. 13 with 79 arrests.
Winnebago County in the Rockford area once again took the No. 1 spot with 387 arrests. According to last year’s AAIM report, Winnebago County had 526 arrests.
Five Naperville police officers were recognized for making the most DUI arrests in the department in 2024: Ken Wirth had 29 arrests; Tyler Saieg, 18; Stephanie Jarvis, 17; Nathaniel Marquez, 14; and Christopher Lasurdo, 13.
Illinois State Police Trooper Kevin Bradley took the top spot for most DUI arrests in the state in 2024, chalking up 208.
cstein@chicagotribune.com
