DPS aims for zero fatality throughout holiday season

The Department of Public Safety will conduct many traffic enforcements in the CNMI as it aims to have a zero fatality caused by impaired driving throughout the holiday season.

At a proclamation signing for CNMI Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month yesterday in the conference room of the governor’s office, DPS Commissioner James C. Deleon Guerrero disclosed that during the 3Ds month of December, there will be several checkpoints as well as increased police presence in the community to ensure the community’s safety during the holiday.

Deleon Guerrero in an interview said 3Ds will kick off on Thanksgiving Day and will end up at the first week of January.

“The target is always been for sure nobody dies throughout the holiday season related to drunk or drugged driving,” Deleon Guerrero said.

At the ceremony, the commissioner said according to traffic statistics, in 2012, there were 1,934 total crashes, 32 were alcohol related, and three fatalities were alcohol related.

In 2011, there were 2,369 total crashes, 58 were alcohol related, and zero alcohol-related fatality.

In 2010, there were 2,587 registered total crashes, 63 were alcohol related, and three were alcohol related fatalities.

With respect to driving while under the influence of alcohol (DUI), Deleon Guerrero said in 2012 there were 158 persons arrested, in 2011 there were 240 individuals arrested, and in 2010 there were 219.

Gov. Eloy S. Inos and Lt. Gov. Jude U. Hofschneider signed the 3Ds proclamation. Senate president Ralph Torres also attended the ceremony. The conference room was filled with DPS personnel.

Inos urged police officers to be vigilant in their efforts to keep the community safe during the holiday season.

“Our administration stands ready to continue to work with the department and support its efforts for a safe community,” Inos said.

Inos and Hofschneider asked the officers and the community to continue fighting drunk and drugged driving throughout the year in order to ensure the safety of the roads for motorists.

Police Sgt. Anthony Macaranas, officer-in-charge of DPS Traffic Section, said the main goal of the statistics is to see the achievement of the department in reducing the numbers of impaired drivers on a year-to-year basis.

“We cannot ignore public safety because of manpower issue,” Macaranas said.

He said he was assigned back to Traffic Section since June of this year and that he is happy seeing a decrease in impaired drivers.

“We are looking for safe holiday,” Macaranas said.

After the proclamation signing, DPS officers conducted an island-wide motorcade to promote the 3Ds program.