(HARRISBURG) – St. Patrick’s Day festivities in Harrisburg make it one of the most fun weekends of the year. It also can prove to be one of the most dangerous if drivers are not careful. That is why the plan is for Harrisburg Police to crackdown on DUI this St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
Harrisburg Bureau of Police officers are asking everyone, if you’re coming into the city this weekend and plan on drinking, make sure you have a designated driver. If you don’t, you might get caught by one of the roving DUI patrols Harrisburg Police will have going on throughout the city Saturday night.
The increased efforts to crack down on drunk drivers will run from Saturday, March 16 at 9 p.m. until 3 a.m. Sunday, March 17.
“We like to call it ‘Proactive Policing,’” said Sgt. Tony Elliott of the HBP. “If you plan on going out, make sure you also have a plan to safely get home.”
Harrisburg is one of 11 local municipalities taking part in Dauphin County-wide impaired driving enforcement operations this weekend. Others include Lower Paxton, Derry, Lower Swatara, Susquehanna and Swatara townships; and Highspire, Hummelstown, Steelton Middletown, and Penbrook boroughs.
Harrisburg is hosting its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday afternoon, and Downtown bars typically experience some of its busiest nights with party-goers looking to have a good time.
In Pennsylvania, the legal alcohol limit for drivers is a .08 blood alcohol level.
“Every time you have something to drink and you get behind the wheel of a car, it’s a murder in progress,” Sgt. Elliott said. “You just don’t know who the victim is.”
The ability for Harrisburg Police to crackdown on DUI this Saturday night is made possible by a nearly $650,000 PennDOT grant, which reimburses local police departments for their officers’ participation in special enforcement duties, such as the St. Patrick’s Day holiday safety effort.
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Contact: Matt Maisel,Communications Director
[email protected]
(717) 255-7295
