Sweet Home police will participate in safety belt and drunken driving blitzes during the next week leading up to Memorial Day.
The safety belt blitz is in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Transportation Safety Division using a grant to increase patrol time.
Through June 1, officers from Sweet Home Police Department and around the state will spend patrol time looking for drivers, adult passengers and children who are not in or using proper safety restraints, said Sgt. Jason Van Eck.
Traffic enforcement under this grant will focus primarily on maintaining and increasing public compliance with Oregon motor vehicle safety restraint laws and on other local traffic safety issues.
Police will increase the number of officers on the streets during Memorial Day weekend in “high visibility enforcement” to aggressively seek out drunken drivers.
The goal is to deter people from driving after they’ve been drinking, Van Eck said. “Impaired driving has become an increasingly dangerous time in Sweet Home and Lebanon during Memorial Day weekend. That’s why we’re joining forces to crack down on impaired drivers.
“Our goal is simple, to save lives. Whatever you drive, if you’re drunk, you will be arrested.”
If there are questions regarding either enforcement campaign, contact Van Eck at (541) 367-5181.