Nassau and Suffolk county police are warning that they’ll be beefing up patrols and cracking down on drunken drivers and boozed-up boaters over the Memorial Day weekend.
Officers in both departments will be performing checkpoints and targeting problem areas on the roads and waterways while ramping up enforcement of driving while intoxicated laws.
“I urge everyone to be responsible and to plan accordingly not just this holiday weekend but always so that you and others return home safely to their loved ones,” said Nassau County Police Commissioner Tom Dale.
Despite such annual reminders, nearly 200 people were arrested for DWI last Memorial Day weekend. Nassau police said Thursday they arrested 85 DWI suspects this time last year—although they said they arrested 67 at the time—and Suffolk arrested 52. The rest were arrested by New York State and town police.
Nassau police added that they will be coordinating with the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services – Office of Counter Terrorism in a multi-agency initiative to round up drunken boaters.
Suffolk police will also be increasing patrols in and around shopping and downtown areas, the department said.
