Monthly Letter

Statue

Monthly Letter

[ Home ] [ About Cody PD ] [ Chief's Message ] [ Ask Steve ] [ Community Policing ] [ The Kid's Page ] [ Site Map ] [ Animal Control and Nuisances in Cody ] [ Community Resources ] [ Crime Stoppers ] [ Cody City Warrants ] [ Park County's Most Wanted ] [ Employment Opportunities ] [ Links ] [ Monthly Letter ]

updated: January 04, 2006

We want to welcome you to the Cody Police Department Web Site.

One of the goals that we want to achieve is to be able to educate the community in matters that relate to law enforcement. With this page we plan on publishing information that will be of interest and benefit to you as members of our community. We will have articles written by both our officers and other local professionals within the community.

If there is a topic of special interest to you, please let us know so that we can address it for you. Contact us with your ideas at:

cpd@codypd.net.

Again welcome, and please visit often.

Check for past monthly letters!

The Holiday Season

The holidays are just around the corner, and with them the merriment of song, food and drink, family and friends, giving and sharing. These are all things that I encourage because they are vital to our health and the health of our society. We realize just how much we have to be thankful for when sharing with our family and friends.

The downside to the holidays is the increase in alcohol related incidents and arrests we see at the Cody Police Department. Over Indulgence can ruin your holidays as well as those close to you. It can also ruin them for the innocent who may be in your path when driving drunk.

The upside is that with some pre-planning, no one's holiday needs to be negatively affected. I would like to provide you with some information and suggestions to help in making your holiday season a very merry one.

Ø If you are going to go out and know you will be drinking, have a non-drinking designated driver.

Ø Know your limits and stay with in them.

Ø Limit the number of drinks consumed

o A good rule of thumb is no more than one drink per hour

Ø Know the law

o .08 percent alcohol concentration is the legal limit for Wyoming.

o You may be arrested for driving while under the influence at a lower concentration if your impairment justifies it.

o Driving while under the influence includes alcohol and/or drugs. This includes over the counter drugs and prescription drugs as well as illicit drugs if they impair your ability to drive.

A little background information may help you in making an informed decision when you go out this holiday season:

One drink is equal to one 12oz beer, one 4oz glass of wine, one 1oz shot of hard liquor, and is equal to approx. .02 percent alcohol concentration per 45 minute period. An average 150 lb male looses approx. .015 percent alcohol concentration per hour. The following charts will give a rough estimation to go by for different weights

*Chart for Responsible People Who May Sometime Drive After Drinking*
*Approximate Blood Alcohol Percentage in 45 min period*
*Body Weight in Pounds*
*Drinks*	*100*	*120*	*140*	*160*	*180*	*200*	*220*	*240*
1	*.04*	*.03*	*.03*	*.02*	*.02*	*.02*	*.02*	*.02*
2	*.08*	*.06*	*.05*	*.05*	*.04*	*.04*	*.03*	*.03*
3	*.11*	*.09*	*.08*	*.07*	*.06*	*.06*	*.05*	*.05*
4	*.15*	*.12*	*.11*	*.09*	*.08*	*.08*	*.07*	*.06*
5	*.19*	*.16*	*.13*	*.12*	*.11*	*.09*	*.09*	*.08*
6	*.23*	*.19*	*.16*	*.14*	*.13*	*.11*	*.10*	*.09*
7	*.26*	*.22*	*.19*	*.16*	*.15*	*.13*	*.12*	*.11*
8	*.30*	*.25*	*.21*	*.19*	*.17*	*.15*	*.14*	*.13*
9	*.34*	*.28*	*.24*	*.21*	*.19*	*.17*	*.15*	*.14*
10	*.38*	*.31*	*.27*	*.23*	*.21*	*.19*	*.17*	*.16*

Stimulants do not counteract the affects of alcohol and depressants have an affect of 1+1=4. Coffee does not sober you up, just makes you a wide a wake drunk. The only way to sober up is with time.

Statistics at a glance

The probability of being in a crash is 7Xs greater with an alcohol concentration of .10 percent as compared to being sober and 25Xs greater with an alcohol concentration of .15 percent.
Three out of every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol related crash sometime in their life.
The average driver has a 1 in 4 chance of being involved in a fatality with an alcohol impaired driver.
30% of all fatal crashes involved at least 1 driver or occupant that had an alcohol concentration of .10 or greater.

I hope this has been food for thought. The Cody Police Department wants to help make this a safe and happy holiday season for all. If you would like further information on alcohol and the law, or would like a presentation given to your organization or group, please contact us at:

Cody Police Department
1131 11th Street
Cody Wy. 82414
Phone: (307) 527-8700
e-mail: cpd@codypd.net

Sergeant Steven Penwell