While the Denver Broncos took on the Carolina Panthers during Super Bowl weekend, Colorado law enforcement took on drunken drivers.
The Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado State Patrol were among 76 law enforcement agencies that joined forces Feb. 5 through Feb. 8 for a heightened DUI-enforcement period.
The weekend resulted in 276 impaired-driving arrests, an increase from the 234 arrests made in 2015.
“We certainly understand that our fellow Broncos fans celebrated the Super Bowl victory responsibly with a few drinks, but there is no excuse for driving impaired,” State Patrol Chief Scott Hernandez said in a news release issued Friday.
The Aurora and Colorado Springs police departments and the State Patrol recorded the highest arrest totals. Arrest numbers for Denver were not immediately available.
“The Heat Is On” is a campaign effort funded by the CDOT Highway Safety Office and runs throughout the year during 12 specific periods expected to have “high visibility for impaired driving” centered on national holidays and public events.
The next DUI-enforcement period for the campaign is selected for St. Patrick’s Day, which will run for a full week from March 11-18.
Natalie Munio: 303-954-1666, nmunio@denverpost.com or @nataliemunio
