The Kane County State's Attorney's Office has announced its next no-refusal operation is set for St. Patrick's Day weekend. The office will not reveal which municipalities will participate in the operation, according to a news release issued Friday.

In a no-refusal operation, police work to speed up the DUI booking process by partnering with prosecutors to quickly obtain a search warrant to compel suspected drunken drivers to submit a blood or breath test. The initiative is designed to thwart suspected drunken drivers who refuse to submit to a breath test after a DUI arrest. Through the strategy, police officers are able to expedite the DUI booking process.

With guidance from an assistant state’s attorney, police officers can quickly obtain a search warrant to compel a DUI suspect to submit to a lawfully requested blood or breath test as required by Illinois’ Implied Consent statute.

“This office has a responsibility to prosecute DUI offenders, and to educate the public not to drive when they drink,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said in the release. “As has been our practice, I will not say which municipalities will participate. I only will announce when we will have the no-refusal operation."

The operation will be the 12th no-refusal operation since the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office began the program in 2008. In the 11 prior operations, 105 drivers have been charged. Most have pleaded guilty to DUI, but many cases are pending, the release stated.

In March 16 and 17, 2012, 22 drivers were charged in the operation in Aurora, Batavia, Carpentersville, East Dundee, Elgin, Geneva, Gilberts, Montgomery, St. Charles, South Elgin, and West Dundee, with assistance from Illinois State Police District 2 and the Kane County Sheriff.