DES MOINES, Iowa ( WOI ) - The holiday season is officially upon us — and local police say that means certain types of crime could also be.

Des Moines Police Department PIO Paul Parizek told Local 5 the department typically sees an increase in OWIs, domestic violence and package thefts between Thanksgiving and New Years. He said a rise in awareness has decreased the uptick in recent years, but that his team still gets calls about these situations during the holidays. One reason for the increase, Parizek noted, especially for traffic offenses and domestic fights, are holiday celebrations that include alcohol. One night in particular, “Blackout Wednesday,” involves heavy drinking the night before Thanksgiving.

“It’s a big party time. It’s something that we see every year,” Parizek said.

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