Columbia police boosting their presence for St Patrick’s weekend
The Columbia Police Department is trying to reduce the number of impaired drivers on the road this weekend because of the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.
According to a press release, the department is partnering with local and state law enforcement to increase the number of officers on the roads March 16 and 17.
Due to loss of funding, they will not be doing any sobriety checkpoints for the second year in a row. Instead, with the help from The Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri Highway Patrol, and the University of Missouri Police, they are using a method called saturation patrol.
“Saturation patrol essentially means we have extra officers on the street, and their sole job is to detect and enforce the impaired driving laws of Missouri,” Sgt. Clint Sinclair, of the Columbia Police Department DWI Unit said. “They don’t respond to any other calls for service. They get paid through a grant from the state, and their main goal is DWI enforcement.”
Sinclair said the methods are different in many ways, but he hopes that the results will be the same.
“Hopefully by telling people in advance that we are doing this it will have the same effect of a checkpoint: to make people think twice about drunk driving.”
One of the largest causes of fatal crashes in Missouri is impaired driving, the press release said, adding that more than 900 people died in traffic incidents last year. It does not give a total number of people killed in alcohol-involved incidents.
Below are the statistics of traffic fatalities and injuries across Missouri on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday each weekend, in 2017 and 2018.
St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Traffic Statistics 2017 2018 Total Crashes 1,135 1,082 People Killed 10 10 People Injured 470 371
(Statistics from Sgt. Scott White, Missouri State Highway Patrol)
“The effects of impaired driving can be far-reaching and, in some cases, tragic and devastating,” Sinclair said in a press release. “We always encourage safe alcohol consumption and driving decisions year-round, especially during times of celebration, including St. Patrick’s Day.”
Sinclair also mentioned that he wants to people to enjoy the holiday, but to be responsible.
“If you are going to drink this holiday, don’t drive. We encourage everyone to have a good time this holiday, and if that good time includes alcohol consumption, we just ask that you use some of the many alternatives to get home.”
The Columbia Police Department DWI Unit says the best way to prevent impaired driving is to utilize designated drivers, ride-sharing programs and available public transportation.
