Police Log
Police catch 540 suspected drunken drivers in two-week span
Equivalent to arrest every 53 minutes
CUMBERLAND — During the more than two weeks leading up to and including the Labor Day weekend, the 2009 Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign resulted in 540 drunken driving arrests throughout Maryland — equivalent to one arrest every 53 minutes.
Local and state law enforcement officers fanned out across the state conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols with one message for area drivers: Those who drink and drive will be caught.
Between Aug. 19 and Sept. 7, 36 sobriety checkpoints were held in conjunction with 38 saturation patrols specifically targeting impaired drivers. Significant results included:
• More than 25,000 vehicles passed through the checkpoints.
• 540 DUI arrests were made.
• 34 underage drinking arrests were made.
• 1,252 non-DUI citations were issued.
• 68 criminal arrests were made.
“Complacency cannot be tolerated when it comes to preventable crime, like drunk driving,” said Bernadette DiPino, president of Maryland Chiefs of Police Association and Chief of Police for Ocean City. “These numbers show that checkpoints work.”
The statewide Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign combines proactive public education and stepped-up enforcement efforts to effectively erase borders between jurisdictions in fighting drunken driving. More than 20 local law enforcement agencies participated in the enforcement wave, in addition to the Maryland State Police, Maryland Transportation Authority Police and Department of Natural Resources Police.
The campaign will continue through December and is supported in Maryland by a grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration’s Highway Safety Office.
- Police Log
-
-
3/12 - Most Wanted fugitive in custody
A 26-year-old city man who was listed last week as one of Allegany County’s Most Wanted was arrested Monday in Morgan County, W.Va., according to the C3I Unit.
-
3/12 - Robbery, assault complaint in city
A 47-year-old man was taken to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center late Wednesday after he was allegedly assaulted and robbed while walking on Fourth Street, Cumberland Police said.
-
3/12 - Woman jailed in fraud case
A Hampshire County woman was arrested Wednesday by Keyser Police in connection with the alleged theft and illegal use of a credit card.
-
3/11 - Woman injured in Rt. 36 crash
Isabelle O’Rourke, 88, of Lonaconing was taken to the Western Maryland Reginal Medical Center following a two-vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon on state Route 36 near the landfill entrance, according to the Allegany County Bureau of Police.
-
3/11 - City man charged in domestic case
A Yale Street man was arrested Wednesday night after he allegedly assaulted two female family members, Cumberland Police said.
-
3/11 - Driver flees police, later caught
A Bowling Street man was arrested early Wednesday after he allegedly failed to stop for Maryland State Police on U.S. Route 220, drove away and then attempted to hide inside his residence.
-
3/10 - Two arrested in college raid
Two people were arrested when the Garrett County Narcotics Task Force raided a dormitory room at Garrett College last week.
-
3/10 - Man arrested in April 2009 cases
A 21-year-old Keyser man was arrested Monday night when he arrived at the Keyser Police Department to discuss a matter with police and was then presented with four warrants that were recently obtained for his arrest.
-
3/9/10 - City man injured in motorcycle crash
A city man was taken to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center after his motorcycle was struck by a passenger vehicle Sunday on Naves Crossroad near Eastman Road, according to the Allegany County Bureau of Police.
-
3/9/10 - Sexual assault was ‘fabricated’
Investigation into allegations of a sexual assault Feb. 21 on state Route 42 in Grant County has determined the complaint was “fabricated,” according to West Virginia State Police.
- More Police Log Headlines
-
3/12 - Most Wanted fugitive in custody
