Brownsville Police Department Plans Holiday Crackdown

Holiday party-goers, beware!  To help save lives this holiday season, the Brownsville Police Department is launching a special “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdown to stop impaired drivers and to save lives on our roadways.

Officers will be aggressively looking for impaired drivers and will arrest anyone caught driving impaired. Enforcement efforts will include sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.  The special enforcement crackdown will run from December 12, 2012, through January 1, 2013.

“Lots of folks will be out during this busy holiday season, enjoying themselves and the holiday festivities, and we want everyone to be safe on our roadways.” said Lt. Barry Diebold.  “That’s why we will be stepping up enforcement to catch and arrest impaired drivers.  Please be forewarned.  If you are caught drinking and driving impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses.”

During 2010, more than 10,000 people were killed nationwide in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving an impaired driver.

The holiday season is a particularly dangerous time. During December 2010, 30 percent of all fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes involved alcohol-impaired drivers. Data also shows that among those alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities, 71 percent occurred when drivers had nearly twice the legal limit blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .15 grams per deciliter or higher. 

“No one ever thinks that their holiday celebration will end in jail, or worse, in a hospital or the morgue,” said Brownsville Police Chief Chris Lea.  “But for those who include alcohol in their celebrations and then get behind the wheel, this is often the case.”   

It is illegal in all 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.  According to the Brownsville Police Department, violators face jail time, loss of driver license, and steep financial consequences such as higher insurance rates, attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job.

Chief Lea says there are three simple steps people can take to stay safe and out of trouble:

1. Plan ahead.  If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving. Designate a sober driver or find another safe way home. Even one too many drinks increases the risk of a crash while driving a motor vehicle.  
2. If you are impaired, find another way home.  Call a sober friend or family member.
3. Be responsible.  If someone you know is drinking, do not let them get behind the wheel.  If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement.  Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life. 

“We want everyone to enjoy their holidays, but we also want our roadways to be safe,” said Lt Diebold. “We will be out in force to help save lives, and we are not going to tolerate impaired driving. So remember, ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.’ We will be watching.”

For more information, visit the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign Headquarters at www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober

Brownsville Police Department Sobriety Checkpoints set for Labor Day Weekend

The Brownsville Police Department will be increasing enforcement efforts to ensure the safety of the citizens of Brownsville and Haywood County.  Sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols will be conducted Friday, August 31, through Monday September 3,at three locations within the Brownsville city limits:  Highway 76/Anderson Avenue, Bypass and Hatchie St. and Bypass at Highway 19.

The checkpoints and saturation patrols will be conducted between 7 p.m. – 2 a.m.  Officers will concentrate their enforcement efforts on removing impaired drivers from the roadways.  Officers will also be enforcing non-compliance with the safety belt law, as well as child restraint laws.

This event is funded by a grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

BPD to be out in force this St. Patrick's Day

Brownsville Police Department Sobriety CheckpointsSet for St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2012

The Brownsville Police Department will be increasing enforcement efforts to ensure the safety of the citizens of Brownsville and Haywood County.  Sobriety checkpointsand saturation patrols will be conducted, Saturday, March 17, 2012,at three locations within the Brownsvillecity limits:  Highway 76/Anderson Avenue,Bypass and Hatchie St., and Bypass at Highway 19. The checkpoints and saturation patrols will be conducted between 7:00pm – 2:00am.   Officers will concentrate their enforcement efforts on removing impaired drivers from the roadways.  Officers will also be enforcing non-compliance with the safety belt law, as well as, child restraint laws. This event is funded by a grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

‘Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving’ Are Watchwords for the Day

If you plan to get behind the wheel after too much celebrating this St. Patrick’s Day,* Brownsville Police Department officials have some simple and sage advice for you: “Don’t do it!”  Police will be out in force all day and all night in a highly visible enforcement campaign to crack down on revelers who are driving drunk.

“Don’t think that drinking green beer gives you the right to spill red blood on Brownsvillestreets—yours or anyone else’s,” said Lt. Diebold.  “We encourage everyone who plans to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year with alcohol to keep in mind our anti-drunk-driving campaign slogan,  ‘Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving,’” said Chief Chris Lea.

“If you’ve had too much to drink, make sure you can rely on a sober, designated driver to get you home safely.

According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37 percent of the motor vehicle traffic fatalities during St. Patrick’s Day 2009 involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol content of .08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal level of intoxication established in every state in the union.

During St. Patrick’s Day 2009, there were 103 crash fatalities.  Of that number, 39 people were killed in traffic crashes involving at least one driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of .08 g/dLor higher.

“Alcohol not only dangerously impairs your driving skills, it also impairs your judgment.  If you see friends under the influence of alcohol, make sure you don’t let them get behind the wheel,” said Chief Chris Lea.

Lt. Diebold recommends the following easy stepsfor a safe St. Patrick’s Day.

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.

• Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.

• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement.
• And remember, if you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

For more information, visit www.TrafficSafetyManagement.gov

More Cops. More Stops

Across Tennessee, Through Thanksgiving Weekend, State and Local Law Enforcement Cracking Down on Traffic Safety Violations to Help Save More Lives 

Tennessee drivers beware. The Brownsville Police Department is teaming with law enforcement agencies all across the state between now and the busy Thanksgiving travel season to crack down on traffic safety violations.

State and local law enforcement will be out in force to remind all drivers and passengers to never drink and drive, always buckle up, obey the speed limit, and eliminate all distractions in the vehicle while driving.

This special enforcement crackdown is part of the state’s new More Cops. More Stops.campaign to help save more lives on Tennessee’s roadways.

“We want everyone to be safe while traveling on Tennessee’s roadways this busy Thanksgiving season,” said Lt. Barry Diebold. “So we are teaming with other state and local law enforcement officialson this special ‘More Cops. More Stops.’ campaign to crack down and strongly enforce our most basic and important highway safety laws.” 

“Not wearing your seat belt will get you a ticket, but we will also be cracking down on speeding and distracted driving, and especially on anyone drinking and driving,” said Lt. Diebold.

Lt. Dieboldsaid nearly one-third of those killed on Tennessee’s highways during 2009 involved drivers or motorcycle operators with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or above at the time of the deadly crash.

Tennessee is teaming with the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on this important national demonstration project, as one of only two States, to test the effectiveness of a new combined high visibility enforcement campaign designed to reduce drunk driving, boost seat belt use, and crack down on speeding and distracted driving,particularly among young adult males.  Research and fatal crash statistics show that young adult males are most likely to practice high-risk behaviors while driving, such as not wearing seat belts and/or drinking and driving.

“Impaired driving will not be tolerated.  There will be no warnings or excuses. If you drive drunk, you will be stopped and you will be arrested,” Lt. Diebold said. “But speeding, distracted driving and failing to wear your seat belt will also cost you. Please help us get the word out this Thanksgiving season. More Cops.More Stops.We will be out in force to help save more lives on Tennessee’s roadways.”

“Best of the Best in Traffic Safety”

On Friday September 9,, 2011, the City of Brownsville Police Department received top honors at the 7th annual Tennessee Law Enforcement Challenge Awards Presentation Ceremony in Nashville. The Police Department received the “Top” Tennessee Traffic Safety Championship award. This award was the culmination of seven years of outstanding traffic safety programs. The Brownsville Police Department has won seven state awards and one national award over the past seven years for their efforts in traffic safety. The combined efforts of specialized enforcement with community education, has been instrumental in reducing crashes in the City of Brownsville by over “50%” in the past seven years. This award is a testament to the officers of the Brownsville Police Department and their commitment to make the City of Brownsville a safer place to live.

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Brownsville Police Department Launches Intensive Crackdown on Impaired Driving

Police Vow to Arrest Everyone Found Driving Over the Limit

The City of Brownsville Police Department today announced it will join nearly 10,000 other law enforcement agencies nationwide in support of an intensive crackdown on impaired driving August 19–September 5, known as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

The problem of impaired driving is a serious one. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows the number of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in America fell from 2008 to 2009, but the numbers are still too high. 

In 2009 alone, 10,839 people died in crashes in which a driver or motorcycle rider was at or above the legal limit, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes was the 21-to-24 age group.

“All too often, innocent, law-abiding people suffer tragic consequences and the loss of loved ones due to this careless disregard for human life. Because we’re committed to ending the carnage, we’re intensifying enforcement during the crackdown. Since twice as many alcohol-impaired accidents occur over the weekend and four times as many occur at night, we will be especially vigilant during these high-risk times when impaired drivers are most likely to be on our roads,” said Lt. Diebold.

The Brownsville Police Department] will be aggressively looking for allimpaired drivers during the crackdown and will arrest anyone they find driving while impaired — regardless of age, vehicle type or time of day.

“Driving impaired is simply not worth all the consequences. So don’t take the chance. Remember, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

For more information, visit the High-Visibility Enforcement Campaign Headquarters at www.StopImpairedDriving.org.

Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk

The Brownsville Police Department has announced that they are joining forces with the National Football League (NFL), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and other State and local highway safety and law enforcement officials to remind everyone to act responsibly by designating a sober driver if they plan on drinking alcohol on Super Bowl Sunday.

“We want to pass our safety message to everyone who will be drinking this weekend, real Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk,” said Chief Lea. “Please call the right play for the big game and pass your keys to a designated driver before the Super Bowl party begins. Getting caught driving while impaired will earn you a costly penalty from local law enforcement and may even result in a turnover of your driving privileges.”

Super Bowl Sunday is one of America’s biggest and most entertaining national sporting events as friends and families gather to socialize and watch the big game. Yet, it has also become one of the Nation’s most dangerous days on the roadways due to impaired driving.

If you are hosting a Super Bowl party:
• Remember, you can be held liable and prosecuted if someone you served ends up in an impaired-driving crash.
• Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange ride-sharing with other sober drivers.
• Serve lots of food and include lots of non-alcoholic beverages at the party.
• Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game and begin serving coffee and dessert.
• Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving while impaired.

If you are attending a Super Bowl party or watching at a sports bar or restaurant:
• Designate your sober driver before the party begins and give that person your car keys.
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Pace yourself—eat enough food, take breaks, and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.
• If you don’t have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend, or family member to come and get you; or just stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.
• Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they are about to drive while impaired. Remember, Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.
• Always buckle up – it’s still your best defense against other impaired drivers.

For more information, please visit http://www.stopimpaireddriving.com.