San Diego County Sheriff To Increase Crime Fighting Efforts This Holiday Season

San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said members of the Sheriff’s Department will be actively patrolling county streets this holiday weekend and will be keeping close lookout for impaired drivers. Those violating traffic violations due to speeding, as well as those not wearing seat belts, will be carefully monitored as well.

Gore points out that seat belts have “saved more lives than any other single piece of automotive safety equipment,” he said, “but in order for them to work they have to be used.”

He’s also urging to drivers to think twice before drinking and driving, and to consider designating a sober driver before embarking on a night out. Statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicate that Thanksgiving is the day when heavy traffic, drinking, and long-distance car trips combine to create fatal travel conditions.

The Sheriff’s Department further requests people call 911 to report suspected drunk drivers.

The Thanksgiving DUI Enforcement Period, which runs from Wednesday through Monday, is part of a larger “Holiday Watch”, Gore said.  The countywide program will run from Nov. 25 through Jan 21 because “criminals do not take the holidays off and neither will our deputies,” he said.

The crime fighting initiative consists of enforcement and education, Gore said. County residents should expect more patrols in neighborhoods, malls, trolleys, coasters, parking lots, and other hot spots for criminals. Undercover operations will support uniformed patrols to enhance effectiveness. Deputies will also work with San Diego County Probation and State Parole to identify career criminals and repeat offenders who may be in violation of their probation or parole conditions.

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