Published: August 25, 2008 08:55 am         

Holiday program eyes safety

A law enforcement public safety program hit a road block in Garvin County during a recent holiday, but another one is going full speed ahead at this very moment.

In preparation for the upcoming Labor Day holiday, officers throughout the state are hitting the roads a little more as part of a campaign meant to crackdown on a variety of offenses.

The main focus is on stopping as many intoxicated drivers as possible.

It was the goal of a similar campaign planned by the deputies of the county Sheriff’s Department for this past Memorial Day in May.

The campaign never came off as the high price of gas simply shut down the plan.

Not for this Labor Day holiday as the program is already under way here.

“We had a gas crunch so we weren’t able to conduct the program like we normally would,” Lt. Travis Crawford said referring to today’s high fuel prices.

Undersheriff Steve Brooks said Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers, county deputies and local municipal police departments are mainly focusing on safety with an emphasis on motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

“It’s a public safety and public awareness program,” Brooks said.

“It’s a safety program designed to prevent DUI’s and check on the usage of seat belts,” he said.

“All agencies in the state are participating.”

It will include checkpoints and what Brooks called a “saturation” patrol.

That, he said, involves law enforcement officers concentrating on the areas in their jurisdiction where it’s common to encounter drunk drivers.

There will also be special checks of different bars in the county, Crawford said.

The planned checkpoints will be set up randomly at different places, times and days throughout the county, according to both deputies.

“We’re not stopping our standard patrol, just being more aware of people driving and possibly consuming intoxicants,” Brooks said.

The undersheriff stresses the way to make a campaign like this work is to have deputies work the check points on their own time with the volunteer help of reserve deputies.

Although the random checks do take extra time, Brooks still hopes this type of program can be done on a regular basis in the future with the help of federal grants.

Along with the proper use of seat belts, officers will also be on the lookout for motorists with valid driver’s licenses.

The campaign officially started a couple of weeks ago and could continue well after the holiday, Crawford said.

     

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.