08/30/06                                 CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE

                            PLAN LABOR DAY HOLIDAY ENFORCEMENT

The Labor Day Holiday is traditionally viewed as the last holiday of the summer season.  It is anticipated that 80% of all people taking advantage of this end of summer holiday will travel by car. The Connecticut State Police will participate in Operation “CARE” (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) and do expect a large volume of traffic on Connecticut’s roads and highways. AAA has also predicted that vehicle travel will be high this year.

The Connecticut State Police will start the 2006 Labor Day Holiday enforcement effort at midnight 09/01/06 and continue the operation to midnight Monday September 4, 2006. Connecticut State Police will utilize added manpower and all available equipment for this safety enforcement project. The Operation will include the use of   non-traditional State Police cars (Chevrolet Impalas, Cameros, Dodge Intrepid) the fixed wing aircraft, and the State Police helicopter in speed enforcement and to search the roads and highways for the unsafe, erratic, and intoxicated drivers. 

Law mandates the use of seatbelts in all cars. All occupants should be instructed to wear their seat belt.  “Click it or expect a ticket”.  DUI Spot-checks have been scheduled to operate at several locations over the weekend all across the State of Connecticut.

Over Labor Day weekend 2005 State Police arrested 67 drunk drivers. Last year Connecticut State Police also investigated 269 motor vehicle crashes 66 of which produced injury and there were no fatalities. This year State Police are working to reduce crashes in our state.

Consumption of alcohol and driving are against the law. A reminder from State Police “DRUNK DRIVING. OVER THE LIMIT. UNDER ARREST” This behavior endangers not only the drunk driver but also every other person who uses the roads and highways.  The State Police remind all drivers, don’t drink and drive, always designate a driver for everyone’s safety.

Commissioner Leonard Boyle said,  “all motorists are reminded that if you see a driver that you believe may be under the influence, report it immediately, that is a true emergency.  Help the Connecticut State Police remove all drunk drivers from all of our roads and highways”.  

State Police “Sobriety checkpoint” dates and locations for the Labor Day Holiday weekend are attached.

2005 STATS: 1676 Speeding tickets, 306 seatbelt tickets, 1040 hazardous moving tickets,

                       67 drunk driving arrests

LABOR DAY WEEKEND STATEWIDE

STATE POLICE SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS

Thursday 08/31/06

                        Town of Mansfield surrounding Uconn Campus

Friday 09/01/06

                        Rt. 8 exit #39 Thomaston.

                        I-91 south exit # 3 Trumbull St & Orange St. with New Haven Police

Saturday 09/02/06

                        Pearl & Migeon Ave in Torrington.  State Police and Torrington Police

                        Rt. 1 Milford /Stratford Line State Police- Milford Police- Stratford Police

                        Rt. 34 & Punkup Rd. Oxford

                        Rt. 156 Old Lyme

                        Rt. 6 Brooklyn

                        Rt. 190 & Rt. 32 Stafford

                        Rt. 164 7& Rt. 395 Griswold

                        Rt. 6 & Rt. 66 Columbia

Monday    09/03/06

                      State Police Western District

                      State Police Central District

                      State Police Eastern District  

           All districts have assigned Special DUI Patrols that will concentrate on areas where DUI crashes   

          and arrests occur.

###END###

Sgt. J. Paul Vance