Memorial Day DWI Enforcement Blitz

May 23, 2008

ERIE COUNTY CLERK KATHY HOCHUL, COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHRIS COLLINS, AND ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF TIMOTHY HOWARD TODAY ANNOUNCED A DWI ENFORCEMENT AND INFORMATION BLITZ FOR THE UPCOMING MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. THE INITIATIVE CALLS ON THE PUBLIC TO GET INVOLVED IN THE EFFORT.

DISPLAYING INFORMATIONAL CARDS DISTRIBUTED AT 12 DMV OFFICE LOCATIONS OPERATED BY HER OFFICE, MS. HOCHUL ANNOUNCED THAT "THE CARDS URGE THE PUBLIC TO 'JOIN THE FIGHT', BY CALLING 911 OR 1-800-CURB-DWI IF THEY SEE A DRUNK DRIVER." ADDING, "THEY WARN OUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE INTENSIFIED DWI ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PLAN AHEAD FOR A SAFE RIDE IF THEY WILL BE DRINKING THIS WEEKEND". SHE ALSO EMPHASIZED THE ESPECIALLY HIGH STAKES FOR YOUNG DRIVERS, SAYING "BEYOND THE TERRIBLE TRAGEDY THAT DRUNK DRIVING CAN CAUSE, NEW YORK STATE IMPOSES HARSH LICENSE PENALTIES FOR DRIVERS UNDER 21, PENALTIES THAT I WILL STRICTLY ENFORCE AGAINST THOSE ARRESTED AND CONVICTED OF DWI."

COUNTY EXECUTIVE COLLINS EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE IN THE EFFORT, SAYING "THE COMBINATION OF STRICT ENFORCEMENT AND HEIGHTENED PUBLIC AWARENESS IS A POWERFUL DETERRENT TO DWI. ENLISTING THE PUBLIC'S HELP WILL AID THE EFFICIENCY OF POLICE PATROLS AND HELP OUR CHANCES OF PREVENTING A TRAGEDY. FUNDING FOR THIS EFFORT COMES FROM FINES PAID BY CONVICTED DRUNKEN DRIVERS. EXTRA PATROLS FROM TWENTY POLICE AGENCIES WILL BE ALERT AND READY IN EVERY CORNER OF THE COUNTY. WITH THIS, AND OTHER EFFORTS, MY ADMINISTRATION IS COMMITTED TO DOING ALL WE CAN TO STOP DWI BEFORE IT STARTS."

SHERIFF TIMOTHY HOWARD WAS AMONG THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS PRESENT FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT. "IF ONE CRIME CAN BE 100% PREVENTABLE- IT IS DRUNK DRIVING", HE SAID. "OUR OFFICE WILL HAVE A HIGH VISIBILITY ENFORCEMENT THIS WEEKEND IN THE FORM OF ROVING PATROLS- WHICH IS PROBABLY THE SINGLE BEST WAY TO HELP KEEP INTOXICATED DRIVERS OFF OF THE ROAD. SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ARRESTED THREE DOZEN PEOPLE FOR DWI. THE MESSAGE IS SIMPLE: DRUNK DRIVING ON OUR HIGHWAYS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN ERIE COUNTY".

DEPEW POLICE CHIEF THOMAS DOMINO, REPRESENTING LOCAL POLICE AGENCIES CONCURRED, "DWI IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN ERIE COUNTY." HE SAID. "THIS EFFORT, COMBINED WITH OUR EXTRA EMPHASIS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IS INTENDED TO PREVENT THE TRAGEDIES CAUSED BY DRUNKEN DRIVERS AND ARREST THOSE WHO RISK THE LIVES OF INNOCENT PEOPLE BY DRIVING WHEN DRUNK."

THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE WILL JOIN THE EFFORT AS WELL. CAPTAIN DAN LYONS, TROOP A - CLARENCE, ADDED "THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SIGNIFIES THE START OF THE SUMMER TRAVEL SEASON. TROOPERS, DEPUTIES AND POLICE OFFICERS WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE ALL MOTORISTS HAVE A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. THIS WEEKEND ALSO COINCIDES WITH BUCKLE UP NEW YORK, OUR ZERO TOLERANCE SAFETY RESTRAINT ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVE, ALSO KNOWN AS 'CLICK IT OR TICKET', WHICH RUNS THROUGH JUNE 1, 2008. WE WILL BE USING A VARIETY OF ENFORCEMENT TECHNIQUES INCLUDING CHECKPOINTS AND ROVING PATROLS TO ENFORCE SAFETY RESTRAINT AND IMPAIRED DRIVING LAWS. AGGRESSIVE DRIVING DETAILS WILL FOCUS ON SPEEDING AND OTHER HAZARDOUS TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. WE URGE MOTORISTS TO WEAR THEIR SAFETY RESTRAINTS, OBEY POSTED SPEED LIMITS AND DRIVE SOBER DURING THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND."

CAPTAIN MICHAEL NIGRELLI REPRESENTED THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE ON THE THRUWAY, "THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IS A HEAVILY TRAVELED TIME ON THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY. ALL MOTORISTS ARE REMINDED THAT DRINKING AND DRIVING DO NOT MIX. THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE WILL BE CONDUCTING SPECIALIZED DWI ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF ALL THOSE WHO TRAVEL THE THRUWAY. LET'S ALL WORK TOGETHER TO PREVENT A NEEDLESS TRAGEDY!"

THIS CAMPAIGN IS A COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF THE ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE ERIE COUNTY CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION, THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE, ERIE COUNTY CLERK KATHLEEN HOCHUL, AND THE STOP-DWI OFFICE OF ERIE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHRIS COLLINS.