Alcohol-related accidents and arrests were down this New Year’s Eve compared to past years, as were the number of DUI emphasis officers working the holiday.

The Bellevue Police Department reported that there were no major accidents, no injury accidents and four DUI arrests on the evening and early morning of Dec. 31, 2015/Jan. 1, 2016. Three of those arrests were made by officers working a special state-funded DUI emphasis patrol.

However, the number of those special patrol officers was also down this year compared to years past.

Each year, the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission funds DUI emphasis patrols on holidays such as New Year’s Eve, when there will generally be an increase in citizens drinking and driving. In cities like Bellevue, these officers are in addition to the standard patrol forces and spots are filled on a voluntary basis.

This year, three Bellevue Police officers worked the New Year’s Eve emphasis patrol, compared to five last year, according to police. When he worked the DUI emphasis patrol in years past, there have been as many as six or eight officers on the emphasis patrol, said Bellevue Police Spokesperson Seth Tyler.

On New Year’s Eve 2015, there were five emphasis officers on patrol who made six arrests.

The emphasis patrols are above and beyond normal staffing levels, said Tyler.

“The reason behind making it voluntary is that you don’t want someone to work that shift who doesn’t want to. There’s the expectation that these officers will be out actively looking for intoxicated drivers,” he said.