Bend PD adding two DUII-focused officers to patrol the streets on Super Bowl Sunday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend Police Department is adding two additional DUII officers, in addition to one full-time DUII officer, to their force to help patrol the roads on Super Bowl Sunday.

The Super Bowl falls on a list of "holidays" the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) uses to grant money to departments such as Bend PD to fund overtime for extra DUII officers on a day they anticipate drivers may be driving while intoxicated.

Bend PD Communications Manager Sheila Miller says having extra officers on hand for the Super Bowl helps keep the public safer.

"There's a series of events that can take place for a couple of hours, so it can take an officer off the street while they process a DUII and transport that person to the jail," Miller said Wednesday. "Having additional units on who are specifically looking for DUIIs who are out and that is their job -- it frees up the rest of patrol to other patrol calls."

Since 2020, 10 people suspected of DUII have been arrested on Super Bowl Sunday by Bend PD.

"Last year, we had four DUIIs on Super Bowl Sunday, and then the previous two years it was three," Miller said. "So it's certainly not outlandish. But the more people we can get off the road intoxicated, the better. So that's why we have two full-time DUII officers, to go and get these people off of the streets."

While the staff at Bend's Sidelines Sports Bar & Grill want to host a good party, they also want to keep Super Bowl Sunday safe. Bartender Rachael Davis says free liquor samples, among other things, will be served.

"So we'll be running some food specials, and then our Smirnoff reps are coming in, and they'll be doing giveaways, liquor samples, raffles," she said.

Davis says as a bartender, she and her co-workers watch how quickly they serve people, ask if they're driving, encourage the use of Uber and Lyft, and have a cab driver on standby, if they determine a customer has had too much to drink.

So whichever team you're rooting for, Sidelines and Bend PD (among many others) encourage you not to ruin the day by being irresponsible and getting behind the wheel when you shouldn't.

As far as who Sidelines Sports staff are rooting for in the big game, Midwest football fans will be happy with the allegiance.

"I want the Kansas City Chiefs, and I'd say we'll probably have more Chiefs fans in here than we typically do," Davis said.