State troopers stepping up DWI watch this weekend

Article by: Star Tribune
Updated: July 3, 2009 - 6:37 AM

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State Patrol troopers will be out in force this weekend to aggressively go after drunken drivers.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety announced Thursday that the stepped-up DWI enforcement throughout the holiday weekend comes on the heels of what it called a particularly deadly Memorial Day holiday weekend.

The department noted that, during the July 4th holiday weekend last year, alcohol-related crashes accounted for five of the eight motorists killed statewide. Another 1,819 motorists were arrested on DWI charges.

TARGETED COUNTIES: Troopers will conduct Operation NightCAP (nighttime concentrated alcohol patrol) "enhanced DWI enforcement efforts" all weekend, particularly in these counties: Anoka, Blue Earth, Crow Wing, Dakota, Hennepin, Itasca, Ramsey, Rice, St. Louis, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright.

In June, the patrol reported that NightCAP enforcement campaigns resulted in 2,862 vehicle stops, 183 DWI arrests and 138 seat-belt citations.

SEAT-BELT REMINDER: The patrol noted that under a new state law, all drivers and passengers must wear seat belts, meaning law enforcement officers may now issue a citation even if no other traffic violation has occurred.

BOB VON STERNBERG