Crime & Safety

State Police Deploying Extra Troopers for Thanksgiving Weekend 2013

Focus will be on DUI enforcement during busiest travel days of the year.

A release from the Connecticut State Police:

As Connecticut residents prepare for the Thanksgiving Holiday the Connecticut State Police has also implemented plans to enhance public safety, enforcement and visibility on all of the highways and roads in Connecticut. Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) is an intricate part of the highway safety plan.

The Connecticut State Police will supplement its normal routine patrol personnel with additional Troopers over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Troopers will patrol all roads and highways across Connecticut and will focus on drunk drivers while targeting aggressive and unsafe drivers.

Find out what's happening in Ledyardwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Thanksgiving Eve and Day are without any doubt the busiest traffic days of the year. Motorists need to remember: Don’t follow too close, slow down, stay off your cell phone and if you drink, then don’t drive.

Troopers will set up sobriety checkpoints and roving DUI patrols to target DUI problem areas across the state throughout the entire weekend. State Troopers are committed to reducing crashes through preventive enforcement initiatives such as safety spot checks at sobriety checkpoints.

Find out what's happening in Ledyardwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Troopers will also be looking for violators who cause accidents on Connecticut roads and highways. Every effort to reduce accidents is being taken but Connecticut residents are urged to be a part of the public safety solution. Residents should remind all young people, especially college students returning home the first time this semester, of the rules regarding alcohol consumption and drinking and driving. 

Uniformed Troopers will use non-traditional patrol cars to observe traffic and issue tickets to reckless, distracted drivers. A reminder to all drivers: anyone who is consuming alcohol should never get behind the wheel. If you see a suspected drunk driver, call 911, this is a true emergency.

Colonel Danny R. Stebbins, commander of the Connecticut State Police noted, “Your State Troopers will work very hard to keep the state’s roads and highways safe. Help us reduce accidents by driving with extra caution this Thanksgiving holiday. As we do our part through enforcement, please do your part by driving safely. At this busy time of year, we urge all parents to take the time and talk to their young adults about the dangers of underage drinking." 

2012 Thanksgiving Weekend By the Numbers

  • Speeding Arrests: 1,611
  • Seat-Belt Arrests: 85
  • Other Hazardous Moving-Violation Arrests: 3,041
  • DUI Arrests: 62
  • Accidents Investigated: 410; With injury: 59; Fatals: 3
  • Total Calls For State Police Service: 10,469


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.