LOCKPORT — Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti says a trio of high-visibility traffic enforcement campaigns over the Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas/New Year’s holidays led to a lower number of arrests and tickets than usual.
And those lower numbers are “good news,” the sheriff said.
“The numbers are down and I think that’s a good sign,” Filicetti said. “I think it means we’re going in the right direction in stopping DWI and other traffic crimes.”
The campaigns are coordinated by the sheriff’s department and involve every local law enforcement agency in Niagara County.
Although numbers of the holiday season effort are incomplete, so far they show just 9 arrests from driving while intoxicated during the periods of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas/New Year’s. The Falls Police Department currently has the most DWI arrests with just 3.
“We announce the campaigns, will put out that we’ll be out there with extra patrols,” Filicetti said. “I’d like to think that people pay attention to that.”
The high-visibility campaigns focus on both education and enforcement. Public service announcements across traditional and social media are coupled with dedicated and roving patrol units to bring home messages like “Drive High and Get a DUI”.
“With the targeted funds we’re able to put the extra patrols out there,” Filicetti said.
The funding comes entirely from fines paid by convicted drunken drivers.
Preliminary numbers show the law enforcement agencies participating in the campaign stopped more than 170 drivers during the three intensified patrol periods. In addition to the 9 DWI arrests, 16 arrests for non-traffic related crimes, and over 220 traffic citations issued.