Blaine Police Report Shows November Spike in Impaired-Driving Arrests and Vehicle Crashes as Overall Call Volume Declines

BLAINE, Minn. - The Blaine Police Department responded to 4,458 calls for service in November 2025, a slight decrease from the higher call volumes logged earlier in the fall. Yet within that reduced total, the department saw sharp increases in DWI arrests, traffic enforcement, and vehicle crashes, according to its latest “Blaine by the Numbers” report.

The monthly summary, published by the city for transparency and public awareness, offers a detailed look at policing in one of Minnesota’s fastest-growing suburbs. Blaine, home to an estimated 72,000 residents, has averaged more than 4,500 calls per month in 2025, reflecting a diverse range of emergency, enforcement, and community-service demands.

Enforcement Metrics Signal a Shift Toward Roadway Safety

November’s data reveals a marked escalation in traffic-related enforcement as holiday travel began and early winter weather moved in.

• DWI arrests surged to 47, an 81 percent increase from October’s 26 impaired-driving arrests.
• Total arrests rose to 133, up from 97 in October — an increase driven heavily by impaired-driving enforcement.
• Vehicle crashes climbed to 219, the highest number reported this fall and well above the city’s 2023 monthly average of 111 accidents.
• Officers conducted 1,186 traffic stops, underscoring a heightened focus on roadway safety.

The spike in impaired-driving arrests is particularly notable: nearly one-third of all November arrests were for DWI, suggesting both increased incidence on the roads and a targeted effort by officers to curb impaired driving as the holiday season approached.

The rise in crashes — outpacing both October’s 199 and September’s 195 — added an additional strain on patrol officers already balancing a wide portfolio of calls. Seasonal factors, including the first rounds of snow and rapidly shifting driving conditions, likely contributed to the increase.

Medical and Community Response Calls Remain High

While enforcement activity intensified, the department continued to shoulder substantial non-criminal responsibilities:

• Medical calls totaled 478, making them one of the largest categories of calls for the month.
• Animal-related calls accounted for 65 incidents, consistent with the broad service functions suburban police departments often provide.
• Disorderly conduct reports totaled 45, reflecting stable levels of public-order issues.
• Burglaries numbered 8, aligning with the city’s typical range for property crimes.

The figures underscore a longstanding reality in Blaine: officers serve as first responders in a wide array of situations, from mental-health crises and emergency medical events to traffic collisions and neighborhood disputes.

A Growing City and an Evolving Police Workload

Blaine’s rapid population growth over the last decade has increased demands across its public-safety systems. The police department, which recently expanded to a staffing cap of 77 sworn officers, has been navigating a rising mix of calls — emergency, investigative, and quality-of-life related.

Monthly reports over the past year show consistent call volumes between roughly 4,400 and 4,900 per month. While crime-related incidents make up a fraction of that workload, the volume of medical responses, animal calls, welfare checks, and traffic-related incidents reflects the evolving role of suburban law enforcement agencies.

Data Limitations and Transparency

The department cautions that the monthly figures represent preliminary classifications. Because the dispatch system assigns a single code to each call, incidents with multiple violations may be undercounted in certain categories. Classifications may also change after follow-up investigation.

Still, the data provides one of the clearest snapshots available of day-to-day policing in Blaine — and an invitation for residents to better understand how public-safety resources are being used.

More detailed reports are available through the City of Blaine’s Calls for Service portal at BlaineMN.gov/callsforservice.

MinneapoliMedia