BLOOMINGTON -- For many, the Fourth of July weekend means fireworks and sparklers. For police, it means extra work and late-night checks to keep drunken drivers off the road.

"Obviously the holiday weekend means more of those patrols," said Lt. Brent Wick, McLean County support services commander. "We will catch people. The laws are getting tougher but there is going to be a certain segment of the population that doesn't care what happens to them or don't believe they will get caught."

According to statistics from Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, Central Illinois deputies are among the most productive in the state in DUI arrests.

District 9 Illinois State Police Capt. James Wolf expects his troopers to be busy during the weekend, as well.

"The message is clear," Wolf said. "We have no tolerance for drunk drivers and those who choose to do so will be arrested."

In McLean County, drivers stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence will have to submit to a breath, urine or blood test when requested by police, State's Attorney Bill Yoder said Wednesday. If a driver refuses, medical personnel will be at police departments to collect blood samples without the suspect's consent.

Statewide, officers will look for the "fatal five" causes that can lead to accidents: DUI, speeding, not wearing a seat belt, improper lane usage and following too closely.

Lincoln Police Chief Stuart Erlenbush was disappointed with a recent crackdown on seatbelt usage but will be on the lookout for drunk drivers. Over the past year, he has stepped up DUI enforcement, even during Super Bowl weekend.

"We just can't have any tolerance for people going out and endangering the lives of others," he said.

Law enforcement is the most important deterrent for drunk driving, said Charlene Chapman, executive director for AAIM.

According to AAIM, Cook County led the state last year with 490 arrests, an average of 0.93 per officer. Among the county leaders were Macon County (12th, 214 arrests), McLean (14th, 155), Livingston (20th, 102), Peoria (21st, 101), Logan (25th, 74), DeWitt (30th, 61) and Woodford (37th, 47).

The survey also ranked communities: Decatur arrests jumped 121 percent in 2008 compared to 2007, according to AAIM, with 648 arrests.

Decatur Deputy Police Chief James Chervinko, who oversees the patrol division, said the number of personal injury auto accidents has declined with the increase in DUI arrests.

"Catching DUI drivers is a priority," he said. "We want to save lives. The officers have taken this to heart."

Among communities, Decatur ranked fourth behind Chicago (5,262 arrests). Normal was ranked 22nd (281); Bloomington, 72nd (123); Gibson City, 138th (34th); Chenoa, 142nd, 30; Clinton, 143rd, 29; Heyworth, 160th, 12; Fairbury, 161st, 11; and Eureka, 166th, 6.

In 2007, Bloomington ranked 55th with 178 arrests; Normal was 13th with 315 arrests.

"The numbers will fluctuate from any given agency from one year to another based on a number of factors," Wick said. "That's common with any type of crime. You hit peaks and valleys and it's often inconsistent."

Streator was ranked 135th last year with 37 DUI arrests, but the number has fallen consistently in the last few years, a trend not reflected in neighboring communities. The number has been steadily rising in LaSalle County's largest community of Ottawa.

Chapman expects the potential for a further drop with a new law that mandates breath-test machines in cars for motorists who refuse a breath test or are convicted of DUI for the first time.

Reporters Greg Stanmar, Sharon Wolfe and Tony Sapochetti contributed information for this story.