The Jones County Sheriff's Department conducted overtime DUI and Occupant Protection Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Details during the period July 4th through July 31st utilizing fifteen (15) saturation patrols and one (1) safety checkpoint. Operating under two overtime grants awarded by the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety, JCSD deputies made arrests and issued citations as follows:
DUI - Alcohol Arrests: 5
DUI - Drugs Arrests: 8
DUI - Assist To Other: 5
Seatbelt Citations: 59
Child Restraint Citations: 20
Other traffic offenses noted during the grant-funded saturation patrols and safety checkpoint, in which citations were issued, included:
No Insurance: 97
No Drivers License: 44
Suspended Drivers License: 37
Reckless/Careless Driving: 12
Written Warnings: 11
Drug Arrests: 6
Felony Arrests: 2
Fugitives Apprehended: 2
*These grant-funded arrests and citations do not include normal, daily JCSD Patrol Division traffic safety arrests and citations made as a result of patrol activities.
"We continue to work to improve the safety of our Jones County residents traveling our roadways and enforce the traffic safety laws of the State of Mississippi," notes Jones County Sheriff Joe Berlin. He adds, "We have a particular focus on these grant-funded details which are impaired driving and occupant protection. We make every effort to take drunk or drugged drivers off the roadways and enforce seatbelt and child safety restraint laws. It still amazes us at some of the citation totals we generate in terms of violators of highway safety laws."
Berlin concludes, "There is an easy way to avoid getting a traffic violation citation or be arrested for impaired driving by a JCSD deputy - just do right and stay in compliance with state laws and then we won't have a reason to stop you and write you a citation."