The Northern Porter County Traffic Safety Partnership—comprised of the Chesterton, Porter, Burns Harbor, and Ogden Dunes police departments—today announced that officers made seven alcohol-related arrests during the “Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest” March crackdown.

In all, agency officers dedicated 104 hours of overtime towards Indiana’s annual mobilization against impaired and dangerous driving. A total of 13 arrests was made during the 17-day mobilization, most of which were for OWI.

The numbers:

•15 citations for seatbelt violations (CPD: 4).

•101 citations for speeding (CPD: 62).

•Nine citations for driving while suspended (CPD: five).

•One habitual traffic violator charge.

•One other unspecified felony charge.

•16 other unspecified traffic offenses (CPD: four).

•121 warnings issued (CPD: 15).

“The goal of this campaign is prevention, not arrest,” said CPD Lt. Dave Lohse “Our enforcement efforts may have increased over the last 17 days, but drivers should remember—our commitment to keeping roadways safe from impaired and dangerous drivers is a year round effort.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were (609) crash fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day in 2010. Of those crashes, 6 percent involved an impaired driver and/or motorcyclist with a B.A.C. of .08 and higher.

Operation Pull Over Blitz 70 was supported by federal funding allocated to the Northern Porter County Traffic Safety Partnership from the Traffic Safety division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI). More than 250 Indiana law enforcement agencies participated in this annual, statewide enforcement effort, which generally occurs around the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

To learn more about Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest enforcement efforts, visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org

Posted 3/20/3012