The Garden Grove Police Department announced it will have extra officers on streets Wednesday–the Fourth of July–to combat drunken driving.
The Newport Beach Police Department announced it will do the same, only its so-called saturation patrols will run Thursday through Sunday (July 5-8).
Officers who are already assigned to patrol also keep eyes out for drivers who appear to be under the influence. Saturation patrols have extra cops specifically assigned to streets known for DUI stops, arrests, crashes and deaths.
The Garden Grove operation is set for 5 p.m. Wednesday through 3 a.m. Thursday. Newport Beach’s patrols run 6 p.m.-3 a.m. nightly Thursday through Sunday.
In announcing their operations, both police agencies released the same advice aimed at stopping drivers from becoming another DUI statistic. That follows:
Prepare for the Fourth of July Celebrations
If you will be drinking, plan your sober ride home before the party begins. Remember these tips for a safe night on the road:
· Designate a sober driver, use public transportation, or use a ride-sharing service to get home safely.
· If a friend or family member is trying to drive while they’re impaired, take away their keys and make arrangements to get them home safely.
· If you see a drunk driver, call 911.
You can also do your part by volunteering to be a designated sober driver. Through the Office Of Traffic Safety’s Designated Driver VIP program, or “DDVIP,” select bars and restaurants are offering a selection of promotions, including non-alcoholic specialty drinks for sober drivers. See http://bit.ly/OTSDDrinks for more information.
Funding for the DUI operations comes to the departments from separate California Office of Traffic Safety grants, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.