By CAPT. MICHAEL CULP
Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department

ELKHART — The Elkhart County Traffic Safety Partnership announced the completion of the March 2016 dangerous and impaired driving enforcement campaign. During the 24-day enforcement period, in conjunction with normal patrols, additional officers from the partnership conducted high-visibility efforts that consist of DUI high visibility enforcement zones, saturated patrols, and other methods specifically designated to identify and intercept those driving aggressively and under the influence.

On March 19, officers conducted a DUI high visibility enforcement zone on the southwest side of Elkhart, which resulted in 160 vehicles being stopped. Officers’ efforts yielded the following arrests and citations being issued to motorists:

• Operating while intoxicated
• Possession of a controlled substance
• Driving while never receiving a license
• Two possession of marijuana
• Three seat belt citations
• Open container violation

The dangerous and impaired driving enforcement campaign began on March 4 and ended on March 27. Throughout the campaign, The Elkhart County Traffic Safety Partnership reported six operating while intoxicated arrests, 111 seat belt citations, seven child restraint citations, 112 citations for speeding, 32 criminal misdemeanor arrests and nine criminal felony arrests.

The increased enforcement period during March was a statewide effort supported by federal highway safety funding. The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute distributes funding to more than 250 participating Indiana law enforcement agencies. The Elkhart County Traffic Safety Partnership includes the following agencies from Elkhart County: Elkhart City Police, Goshen City Police, Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, Nappanee Police Department, Bristol Police Department, Millersburg Police Department and Wakarusa Police Department.