The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) is disbanding its Alcohol Initiatives Unit due to staffing shortages and other operational needs within the department, according to Assistant Chief David McBain.
The unit, which focuses on impaired driving and alcohol enforcement, will be eliminated and its assigned positions will be used to fill vacancies elsewhere in MCPD. Those positions will include openings within the Centralized Traffic Unit, Crisis Response & Support Unit and School Resources Unit.
“Due to reduced staffing levels of sworn police officers and the operational needs of the Department, the Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) Alcohol Initiatives Unit (AIU) is being disbanded,” McBain said in a statement.
MCPD said it remains committed to impaired-driving enforcement despite the change. The department plans to continue its Holiday Alcohol Task Force and Summer Alcohol Task Force, along with frequent alcohol enforcement saturation efforts and checkpoints staffed by MCPD officers and regional partners.
