KENT, Wash., — The Kent Police Department reported significant progress in its dedicated DUI enforcement initiative, funded by a grant received in May 2025 from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. The grant supports a full-time officer assigned specifically to impaired-driving enforcement.
Since the program began, the assigned officer has conducted 242 driver contacts and made 11 DUI arrests. In addition, 210 traffic infractions were issued, including 146 speeding violations. During recent speed-enforcement operations along the 104th Avenue SE corridor, two drivers were stopped for traveling 84 mph and 62 mph, respectively—both well over the posted limits.
According to Kent PD, the goal of the program is to reduce serious-injury and fatal collisions on city roads. Early data shows promising results: comparing May–September 2025 with the same period in 2024, serious-injury crashes have dropped by 11.5%, and fatal crashes have decreased by 16.7%.
As the holiday season approaches, Kent Police urge residents to plan for safe transportation, avoid driving impaired, buckle up, and stay distraction-free behind the wheel. They emphasize that impaired driving is entirely preventable and encourage the community to help keep roads safe for everyone.
The department’s outreach is part of the broader Target Zero initiative, a statewide effort to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries.
