MONTEREY PARK – The Monterey Park Police Department will conduct citywide patrols on the lookout for folks driving under the influence from 5 p.m. July 12 to 3 a.
m. the next day. Officers will look for people suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Sgt. Jay Silverman said the DUI patrols send an important message. “Our goal is to reduce the public from driving impaired, if we could change that behavior and make an impact and lower that percentage, that is absolutely a success,” Silverman said.
“If we could eliminate it entirely, it would be a great success.” Silverman said the patrols enable the department to provide a service for the community, while pushing their efforts to make the roadways safe. “It’s certainly in our efforts to educate the public about the severity of impaired driving,” he said.
The patrols are typically scheduled months in advance and they are directed toward avoiding any type of catastrophe, according to Silverman. “We [also] want to remind the public that impaired driving isn’t just from alcohol,” Silverman said. According to the department, prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs could also interfere with a person’s ability to drive safely.
Police recommend always following directions for use and read warning labels about driving. “While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal,” police cautioned. The consequences of DUI’s can inc.
