Local police to increase presence over holiday

As part of the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office ongoing traffic safety campaign, deputies will be conducting a DUI enforcement detail this Fourth of July weekend in an effort to detect, stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers.

In addition increasing patrols throughout Yuma County, deputies will also be targeting areas with a high rate of recurrence for DUI-related collisions and/or arrests. The DUI detail begins today and continues through Saturday, July 6.

The sheriff’s office aggressively enforces the state’s 0.08 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) law, Administrative Per Se laws (immediate driver license suspension), 0.04 percent BAC law for commercial vehicle drivers and the 0.01 percent BAC limit for drivers under 21 years of age (“zero-tolerance”).

Funding for this traffic safety campaign is provided through a grant awarded by the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. These funds enable the Sheriff’s office to increase the number of deputies on patrol throughout Yuma County during high traffic holiday weekends and thereby significantly reduce the number of DUIrelated incidents.

The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office would like to encourage all citizens to be safe this holiday weekend. If you plan to drink, please use a designated sober driver.

Both the Yuma and San Luis Police Departments will be conducting an impaired driving detail during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The details will run from Wednesday, July 3 through Saturday, July 6, with additional officers on duty roving the streets in both cities looking to stop and arrest drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs.

These DUI patrols are, in addition to regularly scheduled patrol officers, all looking for the signs of an impaired driver behind the wheel. Officers will also be involved in traffic enforcement activities to promote safe and attentive driving.

Funding for these special details, which are intended reduce the number of traffic-related incidents, was provided through a grant awarded by the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

Impaired driving is one of America’s most oftencommitted and deadliest crimes. If you plan to drink alcoholic beverages, please use a designated sober driver.

Last year’s 4th of July DUI detail resulted in Yuma police officers making seven arrests for driving under the influence. No figures were available for San Luis police.

Both Yuma and San Luis police encourage all residents and those who are visiting the cities to be safe and conscious drivers this Fourth of July weekend.