Students can expect an increase in police officers around East Lansing for the next three weeks, which encompass St. Patrick’s Day and the NCAA tournament.
The state of Michigan is beginning a spring drunken driving crackdown called “Drive sober or get pulled over,” which kicked off the MSU part of its campaign with MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo on Wednesday at Breslin Center.
“Friends that I have lost because of drunk driving are numerous,” Izzo said. “If you choose to drink … Make sure you have a designated driver or someone who can get you where you need to be in a safe manner.”
In 2011, Michigan law enforcement agencies arrested 37,540 people for drunken or impaired driving, according to the Office of Highway Safety Planning, or OHSP.
To combat these types of casualties, law enforcement officers from 26 counties and 155 agencies are training extra officers until April 8 to spot drunken drivers and get them off the road.
Lynn Sutfin, public information coordinator for OHSP, said there is a spike between St. Patrick’s Day and the beginning of the NCAA tournament.
“During this time frame, we see serious injuries and fatalities involving alcohol and lack of seatbelt use,” she said.
MSU Police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor, who also spoke at the conference, said MSU police want students to make the right choices this weekend and throughout the NCAA tournament.
“It’s important for students to realize that we will be out there to keep them safe,” she said. “But they need to do their part as well.”
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