Sheriff Plans Holiday Traffic Safety, Crime Prevention Initiative

ST. MARY'S COUNTY - 11/30/2008

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The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, in cooperation with the Maryland State Police Leonardtown Barrack, will be conducting a Holiday Traffic Safety Initiative and Crime Prevention Initiative from Nov. 28, through Jan. 2, 2009.  The purpose of this initiative is to provide a safe holiday season with emphasis placed on traffic safety in reducing motorist’s speed, preventing traffic accidents and discouraging aggressive and/or impaired driving.  The holiday safety initiative will also seek to deter crimes such as robbery, shoplifting and thefts from motor vehicles.  Law enforcement in St. Mary’s County will be utilizing marked, unmarked and covert police vehicles during the initiative. “With gas prices going down and the holiday travel season in full swing, we expect an increase of motorists on the roadways,” Sheriff Cameron states.  “I am hopeful travelers will allow enough time for travel and be mindful of pedestrians, particularly in shopping centers.” Maryland State Police Leonardtown Barrack Commander, Lt. Michael Thompson states, “Troopers and Deputies will continue to work diligently throughout this holiday weekend with high hopes of reducing the number of serious and fatal motor vehicle collisions that occurred in 2007.  Last year in Maryland during the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, law enforcement agencies throughout Maryland investigated 940 crashes involving 2,351 people and 10 fatalities.  These numbers are unacceptable and Sheriff Cameron and I will continue to do our part to reduce these alarming statistics.” The prevention and enforcement efforts will begin on Nov. 28, with deputies assigned to patrol the retail areas in St. Mary’s County.  Deputies will make their presence known through both roving and foot patrols conducting parking enforcement and theft prevention.  The public is reminded not to park in fire lanes located in front of the businesses. Dec. 1, through Dec. 5, troopers and deputies will team up along the Md. Route 5 corridor in Leonardtown and along the Md. Route 235 corridor in Hollywood, in an effort to stop motorists who drive aggressively or over the posted speed limit.  Traffic studies have documented an increase in traffic accidents in these areas.  Contributing factors in most of those accidents are speed as well as failing to yield the right of way.  The enforcement efforts will be concentrated during the morning and evening rush hours. Throughout the month of December a number of covert robbery and theft prevention patrols will take place.  Undercover law enforcement officers will patrol parking lots and business areas in covert vehicles or on foot, posing as shoppers to prevent or detect robberies or thefts.   Sheriff Cameron and Lt. Thompson would like citizens to please take the following precautions in securing their vehicles in order to prevent thefts from occurring: 1.      Lock your vehicle. 2.      Make sure windows are completely up and secured. 3.      Lock passenger compartments inside of your vehicle such as the glove box and center console. 4.      Never leave packages or valuable items in plain view.  Remove the items from the vehicle or secure them in the trunk. 5.      Park in well-lit areas, most importantly be aware of your surroundings and report any suspicious activity. As for impaired driving prevention, several driving while intoxicated saturation patrols have been scheduled during the initiative, along with at least one DWI checkpoint.  The Maryland State Police is assigning additional troopers to participate in a special DWI saturation patrol New Year’s Eve.  Lt. Michael Thompson states, “Enforcement patrols and sobriety checkpoints are designed to protect law-abiding motorists and their families from impaired drivers."  Sheriff Timothy Cameron adds, “We want everyone to enjoy the holidays so law enforcement will be out in full force to ensure everyone remains safe.”

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