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Maryland State Police Increase Patrols for Holiday Travel

MARYLAND (WBFF) — This weekend, as millions of Marylanders prepare to hit the highways for the holidays, the Maryland State Police is implementing heightened patrols to ensure road safety.

State troopers from all 23 barracks will be focusing their efforts on tackling impaired, aggressive, and distracted driving while conducting patrols on roads that have a high incidence of DUI incidents.

Contributing to this initiative is the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) team, which will also be actively working throughout the weekend. SPIDRE, funded by a grant from the MDOT MVA Highway Safety Office, aims to reduce alcohol-related injuries and fatalities in Maryland.

This comprehensive effort involves collaboration between law enforcement agencies and state organizations, employing strategies such as strict law enforcement and community outreach through social media and electronic billboards.

Key Initiatives by the Maryland State Police

• Allegany County: The Cumberland Barrack, along with the Western Troop, will conduct high visibility enforcement on major roadways, including I-68.
• Anne Arundel County: The Annapolis Barrack will enforce DUI laws on Route 50 and I-97. The Glen Burnie Barrack will conduct safety patrols and high visibility enforcement throughout the holiday weekend.
• Baltimore County: The Golden Ring Barrack will conduct high visibility enforcement throughout the holiday weekend, including along I-695.
• Calvert County: The Prince Frederick Barrack will conduct aggressive driving and DUI saturation patrol initiatives in related hotspot areas.
• Caroline, Dorchester and Talbot counties: The Easton Barrack will patrol main holiday routes, including Routes 50 and 404.
• Carroll County: The Westminster Barrack will conduct DUI enforcement initiatives along with high visibility patrols around shopping centers, in partnership with allied law enforcement agencies, to reduce criminal activity in both Eldersburg and Westminster.
• Cecil County: The North East Barrack will direct criminal and traffic enforcements on identified hotspots where most crimes, crashes, and DUIs have occurred in Cecil County.
• Charles County: The La Plata Barrack will assist the Charles County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 21 with a sobriety checkpoint on a county road. In addition, troopers will focus patrols on US Route 301 and MD Route 5 in Waldorf.
• Harford County: The Bel Air Barrack will direct enforcement action on arterial roads that have been identified as hotspots for DUIs and crashes. The JFK Memorial Highway Barrack will focus on crash reduction and DUI enforcement efforts on I-95 through Harford and Cecil counties.
• Garrett County: The McHenry Barrack, along with the Western Troop, will conduct high visibility enforcement on major roadways, including I-68 and Route 219, with a focus on enforcement efforts in high-risk DUI areas over the holiday weekend.
• Frederick County: The Frederick Barrack will direct enforcement efforts using both routine patrol, DUI saturation patrol, and selective enforcement at locations that have been identified as having the highest rates of crashes and/or crime in the county, including on I-70.
• Howard County: The Waterloo Barrack will collaborate with the Howard County Police Department to work on combined enforcement initiatives in designated hotspot areas for DUI enforcement.
• Kent and Queen Anne’s counties: The Centreville Barrack will conduct aggressive enforcement operations for DUI and traffic violations on US Route 301, Route 20, and US Route 50.
• Prince George’s County: The Forestville Barrack will collaborate with the Prince George’s County Police Department, focusing on high crime areas in southern Prince George’s County. Troopers will concentrate on known hotspots for DUI enforcement. The College Park Barrack will target their enforcement efforts on impaired and distracted drivers along Route 1 and I-95.
• Somerset County: The Princess Anne Barrack will primarily focus its DUI enforcement efforts on US Route 13 and Maryland Route 413.
• St. Mary’s County: The Leonardtown Barrack will conduct enforcement efforts related to speeding, aggressive driving, and other moving violations.
• Washington County: The Hagerstown Barrack will conduct safety patrols and high visibility enforcement focusing on impaired and distracted driving on major roads, including I-81 and I-70.
• Wicomico County: Troopers from the Salisbury Barrack will focus on criminal and traffic enforcement on main arteries and hotspots where most crashes and DUIs have occurred within Wicomico County.
• Worcester County: The Berlin Barrack will conduct DUI saturation patrols throughout the weekend.

Police authorities are urging motorists to plan for a safe journey by avoiding impaired, aggressive, and distracted driving.

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