Delaware News

Biden, Police Gear Up to Fight Drunk Driving

Criminal Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Tuesday, June 19, 2012



Georgetown – As the busy summer travel season heats up, Attorney General Beau Biden today swore-in 50 officers from Sussex County police departments to participate in Delaware’s Checkpoint Strikeforce program. Checkpoint Strikeforce is a statewide campaign that brings together police officers from all three counties to conduct weekly sobriety checkpoints between the 4th of July holiday weekend and New Year’s Eve. Last year, the program conducted 67 checkpoints and made or issued more than 1,800 arrests and citations for a wide range of offenses, including:

– 478 DUI arrests
– 99 underage drinking violations
– 389 fugitive arrests
– 341 citations for failure to wear a seatbelt
– 257 drug arrests
– 203 felony arrests
– 70 child restraint violations

In addition, 12 concealed weapons and 17 stolen vehicles were recovered during last year’s checkpoints.

“Checkpoint Strickeforce sobriety checks help keep our families safe on Delaware’s roadways and in our communities,” said Attorney General Biden, while noting that the percentage of traffic fatalities where alcohol was a factor dropped more than 10% statewide last year during the Checkpoint Strikeforce program period (35%) vs. the same time period the year before (46%). “I hope that all drivers will think twice before getting behind the wheel after drinking, not only because they’re endangering their own lives and those of innocent victims, but also with the knowledge that one of our checkpoints may be just around the corner.”

Biden was joined at today’s swearing-in ceremony by staff from the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, which coordinates Checkpoint Strikeforce, now in its 11th year in the First State. The swearing-in ceremonies conducted by the Attorney General’s office provide the legal justification necessary to allow police officers to  make DUI arrests outside their area of normal jurisdiction. Biden’s office previously swore-in 10 officers from Kent County on June 7 and 42 officers from New Castle County on June 8 to participate in the statewide campaign.

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Biden, Police Gear Up to Fight Drunk Driving

Criminal Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Tuesday, June 19, 2012



Georgetown – As the busy summer travel season heats up, Attorney General Beau Biden today swore-in 50 officers from Sussex County police departments to participate in Delaware’s Checkpoint Strikeforce program. Checkpoint Strikeforce is a statewide campaign that brings together police officers from all three counties to conduct weekly sobriety checkpoints between the 4th of July holiday weekend and New Year’s Eve. Last year, the program conducted 67 checkpoints and made or issued more than 1,800 arrests and citations for a wide range of offenses, including:

– 478 DUI arrests
– 99 underage drinking violations
– 389 fugitive arrests
– 341 citations for failure to wear a seatbelt
– 257 drug arrests
– 203 felony arrests
– 70 child restraint violations

In addition, 12 concealed weapons and 17 stolen vehicles were recovered during last year’s checkpoints.

“Checkpoint Strickeforce sobriety checks help keep our families safe on Delaware’s roadways and in our communities,” said Attorney General Biden, while noting that the percentage of traffic fatalities where alcohol was a factor dropped more than 10% statewide last year during the Checkpoint Strikeforce program period (35%) vs. the same time period the year before (46%). “I hope that all drivers will think twice before getting behind the wheel after drinking, not only because they’re endangering their own lives and those of innocent victims, but also with the knowledge that one of our checkpoints may be just around the corner.”

Biden was joined at today’s swearing-in ceremony by staff from the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, which coordinates Checkpoint Strikeforce, now in its 11th year in the First State. The swearing-in ceremonies conducted by the Attorney General’s office provide the legal justification necessary to allow police officers to  make DUI arrests outside their area of normal jurisdiction. Biden’s office previously swore-in 10 officers from Kent County on June 7 and 42 officers from New Castle County on June 8 to participate in the statewide campaign.

# # #

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.