Police

Increased police patrols this St. Patrick’s Day weekend

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In an effort to crack down on drunk driving this St. Patrick’s Day weekend, New York State Police are stepping up patrols on area roads.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday state police are ramping up efforts from Friday to Monday to keep drunk drivers off the roadways and alcohol out of the hands of minors.

“State Police will be out in force to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend for all New Yorkers,” Mr. Cuomo said in a statement. “Our message is clear: Be safe, act responsibly and there will zero tolerance for behavior that puts public safety at risk.”

Drivers can expect to see more patrol cars and sobriety checkpoints, as well as a stepped-up effort to ticket distracted drivers using handheld electronic devices.

Last year’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend effort resulted in 184 arrests for DWI and more than 11,000 tickets issued for traffic and other violations.

Additionally, police are also beefing up operations to identify underage drinking and sales to minors during the campaign.

During the 2014 enforcement period, state police issued 34 tickets on charges ranging from unlawful possession of an alcoholic beverage to sale to a person under 21.