DPS out in force for Labor Day weekend

All available DPS troopers have been called to duty Friday, Aug. 29 through Monday, Sept. 1. The officers are looking for drunk drivers, speeders and seat belt law violators.

"Alcohol is a big concern this time of year, because this is the last big recreational weekend of the summer," Col. Thomas A. Davis Jr., DPS Director, said "Simply put, drunk drivers are a menace on our roadways."

DPS supports the "Drink. Drive. Go to Jail" campaign and is a participant in Operation CARE — Combined Accident Reduction Effort — a nationwide effort by police agencies to reduce fatalities on major interstate highways during holiday weekends.

A Driving While Intoxicated conviction stays on an offender's criminal and driving record forever. For the first offense, the law allows a maximum of six months in jail, a $2,000 fine and a one-year driver license suspension. A DWI conviction also carries a $1,000 surcharge for three years, in addition to any other fines or costs associated with the arrest.

During Labor Day weekend last year, DPS troopers arrested 912 people for driving while intoxicated and issued nearly 16,000 speeding citations and more than 3,000 seat belt and child restraint tickets. In all, troopers wrote almost 34,000 tickets and 12,000 warnings in an effort to make driving more safe during the Labor Day holiday last year.

"With extra enforcement from DPS and other law enforcement agencies, drivers who disregard traffic laws should expect their chances of getting a ticket or getting arrested for DWI to increase dramatically this weekend," Davis said.