WILTON – The Wilton Police Department will be increasing patrols from now through Sept. 1 as part of the 2014 DriveSober, Maine! campaign sponsored by the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Police Chief Heidi Wilcox said the department will be utilizing a $10,000 grant to increase patrols on the main and secondary roads in Wilton.
“We will be doing safety checkpoints/OUI roadblocks during this time frame,” she said. Wilcox added that research shows that high-visibility enforcement can reduce drunk driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent.
The grant funding is used to reimburse the overtime costs of police officers’ dedicated overtime details.
Good! I hate drunks who think they’re “good enough” to drive !
Although in principle this sounds like a great idea, in practice it is highly questionable….it’s just another avenue for law enforcement to pull people over for no reason….search their cars without probable cause or better yet a search warrant…..and violate the Constitution of the States….the same Constitution that gives the Bulldog editors the right to print or not print what I have just written
i think its a great idea and maybe they will catch some of the pill heads too.and wilton needs to do these roadblocks where theres no way to turn around or take a side street to avoid it plus put a officer on either side of said roadblock about a mile away to catch all those trying to avoid it.
I think its a good idea,could save a life,,when you go driving and drinking,the blue lights will be blinking..
Know your rights! You dont have to answer questions such as “where are you heading from?” or “How much have you had to drink?”
Remember that your constitutional rights still apply in a roadblock situation. Though police are permitted to stop you briefly, they may not search you or your car unless they have probable cause that you’re under the influence or you agree to the search. As such, you are not required to answer their questions or admit to breaking the law.
Get your cell phones out and record.
I for one would rather see the police do roadblocks if it mean protecting the public. I’am not saying give up your rights. Beside, Serious if the police stop you at a roadblock and the police can clearly smell Booz on you then there really not much to admit then. Serious, people my have the right to drive, or not to answer questions by the police. I and like most folks have the right to go out with our family for dinner , shopping or just out for a nice drive. We also have the right to do all these things without someone who drunk or under the influence of drugs being behind the wheel. Those who are drunk or on drugs I guess that there right to be however the police took an oath to protect and service . So by doing these roadblocks mean getting these people off the street before someone life is taken then I’am all for it. Oh, one more thing it also about people driving without a license or w/o insurance that the police are looking for. Keep up the good work Wilton PD and Chief Wilcox!!