SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, WI (WHBL) - The focus for many motorists this Saturday will be the possibility of driving on snow-covered roadways. On Sunday, law enforcement in Sheboygan and Manitowoc counties will be focused on deterring drunk driving.
It’s all part of a new High-Visability Education and Enforcement Task Force, which will have three deployments over the next month.
Sheboygan Police Chief Chris Domagalski tells WHBL News the program is a pilot program under the Drive to Save Lives Campaign being done in four states. The campaign has sponsorship from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, with assistance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Governors’ Highway Safety Association.
“The primary goal is to keep people from getting behind the wheel while impaired,” says Domagalski. “So the goal is not to arrest more drunk drivers, but rather the goal is to deter drunk driving so that we can reach our ultimate goal of zero preventable traffic deaths.”
The efforts will be split up between two task forces. Domagalski says one will be the more traditional approach with any task force. “We have one group of officers who will be doing enforcement activities and outreach activities for education in the Sheboygan area.” That is scheduled to take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday.
The other task force will be more geared to letting the public know “So we have some traffic safety boards out, notifying people that we’re out in the area doing enforcement. And then we’re using social media to try to push it out to a wider audience.” That will include their crime analyst tweeting during a ride-along with an officer Sunday evening to engage the public about what happens when officers drive around the city. Also, the department will be handing out coasters and posters to taverns and restaurants in the city with drive sober messages.
Domagalski says he’s excited because the departments now have a chance to expand on their past and current efforts to deter drunk driving. “We’re getting a chance to really do part of the education and prevention portion too.”
“I think people should really understand is that there’s lot of opportunities out there for them to go out and have fun and enjoy themselves,” says Domagalski. “They just need to remember that rather than risk arrest, they should consider taking mass transit, the taxi cab, having a friend drive.” There is also the Safe Ride program put on by the Sheboygan County Tavern League.
Days the task force will be enforced are November 22, November 25, and December 13.