A DUI stop near West Palm Beach could involve a city police officer, a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy, or a Florida Highway Patrol trooper. The agency often depends on where the stop happened and which officer observed the driving or responded to a crash.
“West Palm Beach” can mean the City of West Palm Beach or a nearby area with a West Palm Beach mailing address that is outside city limits. The West Palm Beach Police Department says its incident records cover the city, while the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) has a district serving unincorporated areas near West Palm Beach.
What the 2025 Palm Beach County DUI numbers show
The 2025 figures supplied for this article list 2,531 DUI violations across Palm Beach County, grouped by the type of agency that reported them:
| Reporting agency category | DUI violations | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) | 268 | 10.6% |
| City police departments | 1,076 | 42.5% |
| Sheriff’s department | 1,083 | 42.8% |
| Other agencies | 104 | 4.1% |
| Total | 2,531 | 100% |
“City police departments” does not mean WPBPD alone. That category combines municipal agencies throughout Palm Beach County. These countywide DUI violation figures also do not establish the number of unique arrests within West Palm Beach city limits.
The city police and sheriff totals are nearly equal countywide. The table cannot tell us which agency made the most DUI arrests in the city.
Data note: Figures come from the 2025 Palm Beach County DUI row supplied for this article. Percentages are calculated from the 2,531 total. Confirm the source report and its definition of “violation” before publication.
When would WPBPD handle a DUI case?
West Palm Beach Police Department officers serve the City of West Palm Beach. A city officer might begin a DUI investigation after a traffic stop, a crash response, or another encounter within the city. WPBPD identifies itself as a municipal police agency and maintains a Traffic Division. www.wpb.org
A West Palm Beach mailing address alone does not establish that WPBPD handled the case. The location of the stop and the arresting agency named in the paperwork are more useful.
When would PBSO handle a DUI case?
PBSO patrols unincorporated parts of Palm Beach County and provides law enforcement service in certain municipalities. Its District 1 serves a substantial unincorporated area near West Palm Beach. PBSO also identifies Traffic and DUI Enforcement Units and has conducted countywide, multi-agency DUI enforcement operations. pbso.org
That helps explain why a driver who thinks they were stopped “in West Palm Beach” may find PBSO, rather than WPBPD, on the arrest report.
When would FHP handle a DUI case?
Florida Highway Patrol troopers also investigate suspected impaired driving in Palm Beach County. An FHP DUI case may begin with a traffic stop or a crash investigation. FHP’s published procedures address DUI investigations at crash scenes, and its enforcement policies include DUI patrols and checkpoints. www.flhsmv.gov
The 2025 table attributes 268 countywide DUI violations to FHP. It does not identify the roads or neighborhoods where those cases began.
Does the arresting agency change the DUI charge?
Florida DUI law applies regardless of whether the arresting officer works for WPBPD, PBSO, or FHP. What can differ is the evidence: the officer’s reason for making contact, body or dash camera footage, crash evidence, field sobriety observations, testing records, and agency reports.
In reviewing a case, a DUI defense lawyer may examine:
- Why the officer stopped or contacted the driver
- What the officer observed before and after the stop
- Whether video matches the written report
- How field sobriety exercises and any breath, blood, or urine testing were handled
- Whether another agency joined or took over part of the investigation
The arresting agency’s name is a starting point for finding the records. It does not, by itself, determine the outcome.
What should you do after a DUI arrest near West Palm Beach?
Read the citation, arrest paperwork, and any notice concerning your driver’s license. Note the arresting agency, the exact location, and the dates on the documents. Keep copies of everything you received.
A DUI case can involve both a criminal charge and a separate driver’s license matter. If you received a notice of administrative suspension, pay close attention to the 10-day deadline. FLHSMV’s application for formal or informal review states that it must be submitted within 10 days of the arrest or issuance of the suspension notice. Which options are available depends on your circumstances. www.flhsmv.gov
If you need an agency report, request it from the agency that handled the incident. WPBPD states that its records cover city incidents and directs people seeking Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office records to PBSO. www.wpb.org
The takeaway
WPBPD, PBSO, and FHP can all be involved in DUI enforcement around West Palm Beach. The supplied 2025 data shows 1,076 DUI violations attributed to city police departments countywide, 1,083 to the sheriff’s department, and 268 to FHP. It does not provide a WPBPD-only arrest count or establish which agency makes the most DUI arrests within West Palm Beach.
If you were arrested for DUI in West Palm Beach or elsewhere in Palm Beach County, The Ticket Clinic’s DUI & Criminal Division can review the agency records, the evidence, and any driver’s license deadlines with you. Contact us to discuss your case.
This article provides general information, not legal advice. An arrest or citation is not a conviction, and the facts and deadlines in an individual case may differ.
Ted Hollander, Esq.
Partner @ The Ticket Clinic and lead attorney in the Criminal & DUI division. I have dedicated my career since 1997 to defending individuals charged with traffic offenses, suspended license violations, and DUI cases in Palm Beach County and throughout Florida. I have also been featured on The Today Show (NBC national), Fox, ABC, CBS, and multiple radio stations and newspapers throughout Florida, where I’ve served as a source on legal issues involving traffic and DUI law. When I'm not in court, I like to analyze trends in traffic enforcement and produce insights like this.
