Monterey Park police patrol drunk driving incidents – San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Monterey Park Police Department (Brian Rokos, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

MONTEREY PARK – Monterey Park Police will conduct citywide patrols from 5 p.m. July 12 until 3 a.m. the next day to look for people driving under the influence of alcohol.

Officers are looking for people who are suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Sergeant Jay Silverman said the DUI patrols send an important message.

“Our goal is to reduce the number of people driving while under the influence. If we can change that behavior and reduce that percentage, that will be a huge success,” Silverman said. “If we can eradicate it completely, that would be a huge success.”

Silverman said the patrols allow the department to provide a service to the community while also furthering its efforts to ensure road safety.

“It is certainly part of our efforts to educate the public about the seriousness of driving under the influence of alcohol,” he said.

The patrols are typically planned months in advance and aim to prevent disasters of any kind, Silverman said.

“We (also) want to remind the public that impaired driving is not only due to alcohol,” Silverman said.

According to the agency, prescription or over-the-counter medications can also impair a person’s ability to drive.

The police recommend that you always follow the instructions for use and read the warnings when driving.

“While marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal,” police warned.

The consequences of drunk driving can include fines and penalties averaging $13,500, as well as suspension of your driver’s license, the agency’s website says.

The agency advised people to stay home if they plan to drink alcohol or take medication that could affect their ability to drive.

For more information, visit https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1007.