Place of Last Drink

Place of Last Drink is an initiative to identify patterns of alcohol use that lead to law enforcement response and calls for service. Over time, collecting this information will allow departments to identify patterns and areas of concern.

Learn More

POLD System

Beginning in spring 2014, several police departments began tracking data under a program called Place of Last Drink (POLD). POLD seeks to identify the location where a person last consumed alcohol when they are involved in an alcohol-related incident (DUI, assaults, and other offenses). Information collected by the investigating officer is entered into a database and used to identify patterns and to address problematic locations and serving practices.

Project Lead:

Shane Mikkelson, Chief, Osseo Police Department

Tara Helm, Partnership for Change Coordinator, North Memorial Health

History/Founding:

Partnership for Change, operating under a grant from the MN Dept. of Human Services, approached law enforcement departments about ways to prevent over service of alcohol and reduce alcohol-related consequences in communities.

The initial idea for the POLD project was based on projects and experiences in Ventura County, CA; Massachusetts; New Mexico; New Hampshire; Washington State; and a recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board.[1]

Minnesota System:

During planning, the initial departments and Partnership for Change agreed that the system would collect place of last drink information from all alcohol-related incidents, not just DUIs. They also agreed that the information would be collected at the time of stop/incident based on the New Hampshire model, rather than later in the adjudication process, so that the data would be current and actionable in a shorter time frame.

[1] National Transportation Safety Board (2012). Safety Recommendation H-12-32 and -33. Retrieved at http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/H-12-037.pdf

  • Police Departments 82%
  • County Sheriff’s Office 11%
  • Other 7%
Plymouth Police Department

Plymouth Police Department

Founding Department

Brooklyn Center Police Department

Brooklyn Center Police Department

Founding Department

Osseo Police Department

Osseo Police Department

Founding Department