From Memorial Day weekend through June, Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers will spend extra time in Jasper County looking for drunk and dangerous drivers.
Patrol Sgt. Mike Watson said the patrol will have extra officers on the roads and highways this weekend as it does on every holiday that usually features extra travelers on the road.
"Friday and Sunday are our heavy traffic days this weekend, so we'll definitely have more officers out on those days," Watson said. "Every officers who is not on extended leave, that's our term for vacation, will be on the street over the holiday weekend."
Watson said 12 people were killed on Missouri highways in 2006, and 11 people were killed in 2007.
"Fatality reduction is our main goal," Watson said. "We dropped below 1,000 fatalities on Missouri roads last year, a year ahead of schedule. This year we're running 10 percent below last year's fatality total."
June patrols
Coming in June, troopers, in cooperation with local law enforcement officers, will focus on Jasper County in two separate enforcement events.
Sometime in June, officers will hold a "DWI saturation" in Jasper County.
Another time, officers will hold a "sobriety checkpoint."
Watson said the difference is saturations are mobile enforcement events, while checkpoints are stationary.
"In a saturation event, we bring in extra officers and patrol the different roads more heavily on a given night," Watson said. "In a checkpoint, we bring in extra officers and set up at a point determined by a method that takes into account the number alcohol-related contacts at a certain place in the county."
Capt. Randy Beydler, commander of the Springfield-based Highway Patrol Troop D, announced the saturation patrol and checkpoint in releases issued earlier this week.
"The Missouri State Highway Patrol is committed to removing intoxicated drivers from our highways," Beydler said. "Saturations and sobriety checkpoints are part of the Patrol's strategy to make Missouri's roadways safer."
Saturation events have no special rules because officers make traffic stops as they would in a normal patrol.
Checkpoints are different in that they can affect the flow of traffic through a certain point.
According to the patrol's written release, drivers approaching checkpoints should carefully follow the directions posted on signs and watch for signals from traffic control officers.
Upon contact with officers, drivers will be asked to produce their driver's license and proof of insurance. Normally, the wait at a checkpoint is less than five minutes. Unless officers suspect drinking or other violations, most drivers will not be asked to exit their vehicles.
