Michael R. Kent
Chief of Police
45 Center Street
Burlington, MA 01803
www.bpd.org
For Immediate Release
Friday, Dec. 20, 2019
Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Burlington Police to Increase OUI Patrols Over Coming Weeks
OUI Focus Funded by Traffic Enforcement Grant
BURLINGTON – Chief Michael Kent announces that the Burlington Police Department will be conducting additional OUI patrols over the coming weeks.
The increase in OUI patrols begins this weekend and will continue throughout the holiday season until Monday, Jan. 20.
The focus on OUI patrols is funded by part of a traffic enforcement grant Burlington Police received earlier this month. The $14,000 grant, awarded by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, will be used to fund various traffic enforcement initiatives throughout the coming year. The department will use $2,800 of the grant to fund the increase in OUI patrols.
“Our department was fortunate to receive this grant to allow us to focus on a number of traffic enforcement initiatives to keep our community safe on the roads in the coming year,” Chief Kent said. “The focus on OUI enforcement takes place over the holiday season as this is the time of year when we typically see an increase in OUI infractions. We hope our increased patrols will encourage residents to celebrate the holidays responsibly.”
The Burlington Police Department would like to remind residents to never drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol. In every state, it is against the law to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 885 people were killed in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver during the month of December in 2017. In addition, NHTSA notes a 48 percent increase in weekend nighttime drivers who tested positive for THC, the active compound in marijuana, from 2007 to 2013-2014.
Chief Kent and the Burlington Police Department offer the following safety recommendations:
- Plan ahead to have a designated driver or use public transportation if you will be drinking. If you’ve been drinking, call a sober friend or family member, use public transportation, or call a taxi or rideshare.
- Do not let someone get behind the wheel if you suspect they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- If you see a driver who appears to be impaired on the road, call the police immediately.
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