The Park Forest Police Department made 140 arrests for driving under the influence in 2025, the highest total recorded by the department and a sharp increase from recent years.
Police said the number represents a 59% increase from 2024, when officers made 88 DUI arrests. In 2023, the department recorded 56 DUI arrests.
Police officials said the increase reflects proactive enforcement efforts rather than simply more impaired drivers on the road.
“This shows the dedication our officers have to keeping the community safe,” Park Forest Police Chief Brian Rzyski said. “Driving under the influence puts everyone on the road at risk, and our officers are committed to identifying impaired drivers before they cause serious harm.”
Officer Schwartz led the department in DUI enforcement with 47 arrests, followed by Officer Nichols with 23 arrests. Other officers contributing to the total included Sgt. Karl, with nine arrests, Detective Sgt. Purdy with eight, Officers Sitkauskas and Abu-Romman with six each, Detective Ayala and Officer Goycochea with five each, Officer Verdin with five, and Officers Behrens, Venn, and Holt, along with Cmdr. Elyyan with four arrests each.
Under Illinois law, driving under the influence is illegal when a driver has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher, or when drugs or alcohol impair a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely. DUI offenses can lead to license suspension, fines, mandatory education programs, and potential jail time. Local law enforcement agencies, including those in Park Forest, enforce these laws through traffic stops, patrols, and targeted enforcement campaigns.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the leading causes of traffic fatalities in the United States, accounting for roughly one-third of all traffic deaths each year.
Rzyski said the department will continue focusing on DUI enforcement as part of its broader public safety efforts.
“Our goal is to prevent tragedies before they happen,” Rzyski said. “Every impaired driver taken off the road is potentially a crash prevented and a life saved.”
Police say they will continue DUI patrols and enforcement efforts throughout the year in Park Forest.