The heat is on! — and Montezuma County Sheriff’s Deputy Tom Quinnett is hot on the trail of DUI offenders. Recently recognized for his efforts in keeping intoxicated drivers off the road, Quinnett has been chosen as a "Heat Hero" for the statewide 2001 The heat is on! DUI enforcement and awareness campaign.

Since the program started in 1996, DUI arrests in Colorado have increased 28 percent and alcohol-related traffic fatalities have decreased 27 percent, Quinnett said. "Getting an impaired driver off the street is the basic goal," he said. "It’s a great program."

Quinnett’s dedication, commitment and enthusiasm motivated Sheriff’s Lt. Terry Steele to nominate Quinnett for the Heat Hero award.

"Deputy Quinnett was the first officer to volunteer for this position even with the knowledge that this position was, for the most part, working the late-night shift on all weekends and holidays," Steele wrote in the nomination letter to the state. "Deputy Quinnett is a family man and had to make a lot of personal sacrifices to accomplish his duties in this position."

Quinnett is one of 54 Colorado officers to receive the honor.

Last year the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office alone recorded over 168 DUI arrests and this year the numbers are expected to increase.

In the state of Colorado, anyone with a blood-alcohol content of 0.10 grams or above is considered to be above the legal limit to be driving. Yet even at 0.050 grams, a driver can be considered impaired (DWAI) — an offense that can lead to jail time, Quinnett said.

Quinnett emphasized that people often drink and drive when they shouldn’t because they aren’t aware of their level of intoxication.

"Ninety-five percent of the people who get behind the wheel honestly don’t believe they are really that drunk," Quinnett said. "And they’ll deny it all the way up to the breathalyzer."

The tragic consequences of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol are motivating factors for Quinnett in his everyday routine as a DUI officer.

"Americans agree that drinking and driving is a serious problem, but it’s not recognized as being a serious violent crime," he said. "The fact is that impaired driving is the most frequently committed violent crime in America. Every 33 minutes, someone in this country dies in an alcohol-related crash."

Quinnett said the months of July and August are typically the deadliest months on Colorado’s highways, and alcohol is commonly a factor.

"Last year 29 people (in Colorado) died in alcohol-related traffic accidents during the two-month period," he said.

The heat is on! campaign started in response to the deadly summer of 1995, when 76 people lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes.

Holidays are also known for drunk driving and alcohol-related crashes and as a response, the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, Cortez Police Department and Colorado State Patrol, will join forces to combat DUI offenses, Quinnett said.

"This year the MCSO will be stepping up our DUI enforcement during St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween and New Year’s," Quinnett said.

Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Kalvin Boggs said the department is proud of the work Quinnett has done to make the roads a safer place for the citizens of Montezuma County.