The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) will take a different tact in its attempt to crackdown on drunk driving this holiday season.
"Think before you drink" has been said time and time again, but this time you may want to heed the warning.
"We will be posting persons who have been arrested and charged with the offense of ovuii operating a vehicle under the influence of intoxicants," says Major Thomas Nitta with the HPD Traffic Division.
So far this year Honolulu police have booked more than 3,600 people for driving under the influence.
In the week of November 16, those charged with the offense will have their mug shots, name and violation posted on HPD's website.
"We hope that getting the information out making people aware of this. Not only you'll have a safer holiday season but hopefully it will act as a deterrent to say people will realize, you know, I might be on the internet," says Major Nitta.
HPD says this pilot program will begin on November 25 and run for at least six months.
Major Nitta says the posting will be on for 24 hours at a time, from 10 o'clock on Wednesday until 10 o'clock Thursday. The following posting will be the next Wednesday for 24 hours.
HPD says they average 80-90 DUI arrests a week, and that the number of DUI-related fatalities on Oahu are up slightly compared to last year.
"They are not only endangering themselves but everyone else on the roadway," says Major Nitta.
The city prosecutor's office agrees, saying this could deter drivers from driving drunk.
As for possible legal challenges to the postings, they say the information is already public record.
