Deputies, city police to patrol for drunken drivers

Police will be out in force this  Cinco de Mayo weekend.
The Pettis County Sheriff’s Department and the Sedalia Police Department received grants to help pay for additional patrols over the celebratory  weekend.

“The big push on this is to have strong traffic enforcement and high visibility, and the end product on this is to save lives and reduce crime,” said Sheriff Kevin Bond.

Extra deputies will be out through Sunday, on the lookout for intoxicated drivers and other traffic violations,  Bond said.

“The biggest thing is to make sure you have a designated driver if you’re going to be drinking,” Bond said. “These different occasions are times for celebration, so there’s nothing wrong with celebrating, just take the right steps to be sure you’re doing it safely.”

The overtime grant, like others over the Christmas holiday and St. Patrick’s Day, comes from the Division of Highway Safety.

Sedalia police will also be watching for drunken drivers.

“On May 5th we’re going to have DWI enforcement patrols,” said Officer Mike DeHaven with the Sedalia Police Department. “It’s just going to be officers aggressively trying to locate intoxicated drivers and getting them off the road.”

A grant will pay for overtime for up to three Sedalia police officers and one communication officer for the day.

The money for the enforcement push is part of a $10,000 grant, which is used over the year. A similar DWI enforcement effort took place over St. Patrick’s Day, DeHaven said.

This will be at least the second year the department has participated in such an enforcement effort, DeHaven said.

The officer said such efforts were “absolutely” effective.

“It’s why we advertise it, as a deterrent for people out there drinking and driving,” DeHaven said.

Bond also emphasized the importance of enforcement efforts, saying they served not only to stress enforcement, but also to educate the public and deter potential traffic violators.Bond also recommends parents keep an eye on their kids for alcohol consumption and to be sure they operate their vehicles safely.

And parents and others should also take notice of themselves, he said.

“This is a good opportunity for people to stop and think about their driving habits as well as watching out for other people as well,” Bond said.
Both departments said they have additional efforts planned on other upcoming holiday weekends.