DWI Details Nets 72 Arrests Over Holidays

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — A DWI detail over the holiday season led to 72 arrests in Dutchess County. The detail took place from Dec. 15, 2017 through Jan. 1, 2018, and involved members of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, Town of Hyde Park Police Department, the Town of East Fishkill Police Department, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department and Red Hook and Millerton village police departments.

The officers conducted impaired driving details consisting of saturation patrols throughout the county in addition to their regular patrols.

The arrests included 67 impaired driving arrests, along with five others.

For the fifth year in a row, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and the NYS STOP-DWI Foundation awarded the county a “Crackdown Enforcement Grant” for the 2017-18 crackdown periods.

Among the charges were felony driving while intoxicated, felony aggravated DWI under Leandra’s Law, criminal possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Dutchess County STOP-DWI Coordinator Williams Johnson said the officers worked tirelessly, often in severe weather conditions, to assure the safety of families on our roadways.

“The commitment and coordinated efforts of our law enforcement partners reaffirms that if you choose to drive impaired by aocohol or drugs in Dutchess County there is a high probability you will be identified, apprehended and prosecuted,” he said.

“It’s simply not worth the risk,” Johnson said.

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