Richfield City Police are going after DUIs and it’s starting to have some big financial benefits.

According to Richfield City Police Chief Trent Lloyd, there’s a drug problem in the state and his officers are taking it seriously in DUI arrests and convictions.

Richfield Police arrested 117 DUIs in 2018. 14 of them were alcohol related. 115 of those have now been convicted.

Lloyd says his officers decided DUIs was something they really wanted to focus on and go after.

“I never thought it could be done, honestly–100 DUIs from a department that the most we’d ever had in a year was 48,” Lloyd says.

And after over 100 DUIs in a year, Richfield City Police officers are getting good at it, according to Lloyd.

“They’re doing a really good job,” Lloyd sayd. “In fact, I dare say that the officers in Richfield–the ones out getting those drug DUIs–are some of the best in the state right now for doing it.”

According to a financial budget statement and Chief Lloyd, 2018 saw a record number of State Alcohol Funds also coming into Richfield.

This money comes to each area after alcohol sales, alcohol licences and conviction of DUIs.

In 2018, Richfield City Police received $34,734, which is significantly higher than the $13,000 to $15,000 average for past years.

Once it’s received, this money can only be used by agencies to aid in alcohol enforcement and Chief Lloyd has used the additional funds to purchase equipment, specifically five new dash cameras.

An Alcohol Equipment Grant of $10,000 has also been used in the purchase of new dash cams.