CUMBERLAND — Maryland State Police, the C3I Narcotics Unit, Allegany County Bureau of Police and the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office joined forces in making numerous traffic stops Thursday on Interstate 68.

“We’re focusing on the criminal element that is traveling through our county on Interstate 68,” said Maryland State Police 1st Sgt. David Knepper. “We’re looking for drugs, guns, any illegal activity. We are committed to keeping Interstate 68 and other highways safe for the motoring public.”

The police teams — consisting of uniformed officers, K-9 units and other resources — began making the traffic stops at about noon for alleged violations that included speeding and offenses involving aggressive driving.

The initiative included assistance from support personnel in various ways, including transport of defendants to the Allegany County Detention Center.

A dispatcher from the Allegany County Joint Communications Division assisted with computer checks of motor vehicle registrations, incident reports and police records.

“We are utilizing a county command/communications unit for processing once the arrest is made,” said Knepper, who is second in command at the Cumberland barrack. “Fingerprinting, photographs and paperwork is handled by support personnel, and that allows the officer to get back on the road right away. There’s very little paperwork for the arresting trooper. This is as close as we can get to central booking on the road.”

By mid-afternoon, traffic on I-68 was described as heavy. “We’ve been very active and very busy,” said Bureau of Police Chief J. Robert Dick.

“These concentrated law enforcement efforts provide benefits to our citizens in various ways. It enhances safety on Allegany County highways and it’s a win-win situation for our communities,” said Dick. He also said the support personnel from the allied agencies “improved the efficiency of the whole operation.”

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.