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Community Corner

Drive Safely This Weekend…Police Are Watching

State and local police will step up traffic patrols for the holiday weekend.

This weekend, a lot more people will be on the roads heading to picnics, fireworks shows and off to vacation. If you plan to be one of them, keep this in mind: State and local police will be out in full force looking for speeders and drunk drivers.

According to Sergeant Leonard Camponigro of the Meriden Police Department, local police will set up sobriety check points in and around the Silver City on Saturday night, Sunday night and Monday. “Whoever is in charge of the detail at that time picks the location,” he said.

Connecticut State Police will be putting more troopers on the roads with Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) starting Friday and ending at midnight July 4. They will use aircraft, laser speed detectors, and both marked and unmarked police cars to catch unsafe drivers.

Find out what's happening in Meridenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Over July 4th weekend last year, Connecticut State Police investigated 277 motor vehicle crashes, including five that were fatal, and issued the following tickets:

  • 2,249 for speeding
  • 59 for DUI (driving under the influence)
  • 427 for seatbelt violations


State police will set up sobriety checkpoints at the following locations in and around Meriden:

Find out what's happening in Meridenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Friday, July 1: I-91/I-691

Saturday, July 2: Route 15/I-691

Sunday, July 3: I-91/I-691

Monday, July 4: Roving patrols along Route 66 in Middlefield

State Police Lieutenant  J. Paul Vance asked Patch to share this message with the public: “I’m imploring people, if you’re going to drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car.”

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