HUDSON VALLEY- Despite warnings from police at the state, county, town, and village levels, dozens of DUI arrests have been reported across the Hudson Valley during the first 48 hours of the Memorial Day weekend.
State troopers, along with other local and county law enforcement, increased patrols to combat drunk, impaired, and reckless driving that began on Friday and continues until midnight tonight.
The extra patrols have been funded through special grants.
State Police Troop K made 33 DWI arrests on Friday and Saturday throughout Putnam, Westchester, Dutchess and Columbia counties.
Drivers can continue to expect sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols today. In addition to marked vehicles, troopers are using Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles as part of the enforcement to more easily find motorists who are violating the law.
Troop K Public Information Officer Trooper Krystal Paolicelli said the specially equipped vehicles allow troopers to better see driving violations. “These vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated,” she said.
During last year’s Memorial Day weekend, troopers arrested 245 people for driving while impaired, issued 1,062 total tickets, and investigated 774 crashes, which resulted in three fatal crashes.
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