Five years, 902 DWI arrests for police unit Small EBPD team has one role: to seek out drunken drivers BY BRIAN DONAHUE Staff Writer "To me, [driving under the influence] is the most selfish thing you can do. Itell people that every night." - James Angermeier patrolman EAST BRUNSWICK - Take Patrolman James Angermeier's word for it: There are drunks to be arrested on township roads every night of the week. When he goes out in his unmarked car for his regular 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. shift, his record shows that he will make one to four arrests for driving while intoxicated, be it late on a Friday night or early on a Tuesday morning. "Don't get me wrong, 75 to 80 percent of our drunks get locked up on Friday and Saturday nights, but I can find a drunk every night I'm on," he said. Angermeier and Sgt. George Kaltenbach make up the East Brunswick Police Department's DWI unit, whose sole responsibility is to go out looking for intoxicated drivers. The unit, which is the only one of its kind in the state, celebrated its five-year anniversary in July, a period that has seen the township lead all cities in New Jersey in DWI arrests. Known as CRASSH (Crime Reduction and Safe Sober Highways), the unit made 902 DWI arrests in its first five years. These included 90 drug arrests, 95 underage DWI charges and 23 charges of allowing someone to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to statistics supplied by the department. In addition, the unit has issued more than 5,000 motor vehicle summonses and signed 350 complaints against individuals for criminal violations. The unit, which has a 98 percent conviction rate, makes up a significant portion of the overall police department's DWI arrests. The department as a whole made 352 DWI arrests last year; 475 in 2005; 446 in 2004; 514 in 2003; and 546 in 2002. But despite the town's reputation for aggressive DWI enforcement - and despite its relatively low number of bars - the drunks keep coming. "To me, it's the most selfish thing you can do," Angermeier said of driving under the influence. "I tell people that every night." He noted the legal and court fees and insurance costs that come with a DWI, as opposed to the cost of taking a taxi. "It's $7 to take a taxi home," he said. "Or you can pay $10,000 and I'll give you a ride home." The DWI unit began operations in July 2002 under East Brunswick's then-Deputy Police Chief Thomas Finn. Established as a three-man unit with a sergeant and two patrolmen, its original members were Sgt. Alan Quercia, now a lieutenant in the patrol section, and patrolmen Joseph Marcantonio and Eric Wood. All were trained as drug recognition experts (DRE), which gave the officers the necessary skills to recognize when drivers were under the influence of illegal drugs, as opposed to alcohol. During its first 12 months, the unit made 297 DWI arrests, in addition to 110 criminal arrests and the issuance of 1,500 motor vehicle summonses. "That first year nobody knew about the unit, and we locked up almost 300 drunks," Angermeier said, adding that many drunken drivers now avoid East Brunswick because of its reputation. Angermeier joined the unit in October 2003 when Wood returned to the patrol section. Patrolman Donald Carruth also served with the unit for a three-month period. In May 2005, Quercia was promoted to lieutenant, and Kaltenbach took over supervision of the unit. Marcantonio returned to the patrol section in 2006. Currently, Kaltenbach and Angermeier are the unit's two active members. The unit operates from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., with a schedule of four nights on, two nights off. Asked about a typical night, Angermeier said his shift begins with paperwork, followed by updates from the sergeant. "Then we get in our car and from that point on it's, as we call it, hunting," he said. As a roving patrol, the unit can head anywhere in town. Of course, much of its focus is on Route 18, with Ryders Lane and Old Bridge Turnpike also getting a lot of attention. "There are numerous indicators we're looking for," Angermeier said. "Failure to maintain a lane, running a red light, speeding. Any normal violation is a big thing, but failure to maintain a lane is what you'll find the most." Also, many times arrests are made after other motorists call the police to report a potentially intoxicated driver. The drunken drivers are typically just passing through East Brunswick. Many are coming from New Brunswick, or using Route 18 to get to and from the Shore. Angermeier noted that 75 percent of those charged with DWI in the township are from out of town. Angermeier, who expects to soon make his 400th DWI arrest, said the unit has seen it all in its five years - from the arrest of a 16-year-old drunken driver to the arrest of an intoxicated driver who pulled over on Route 18 to ask a police officer how to get to the same highway. Every night is different. "Nothing in law enforcement is repetition," he said. "There's no such thing as routine. … Every night, you come across a different drunk in a different way." What remains the same is that the members of the unit, who have also taught educational programs on DWI laws, have always taken a great deal of pride in their role. They've also earned four certificates of commendation for DWI enforcement, five END DWI unit recognition awards, two departmental unit citations, two MADD awards and a proclamation for exemplary work issued by Mayor William Neary. Angermeier said he's "heard it all" from the people he has arrested, that he's ruining their life or costing them their job, but he has also met parents who have lost a child because of a drunken driver. "When you look at the accomplishments the unit has and the awards we've received … it's worth it every night to go out and get somebody who is under the influence," he said. "Every guy who's been involved in this unit is very proud of what they've done."