Over the Limit Under Arrest Crackdown in New Jersey

MOUNT OLIVE TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY - The Mount Olive Township Police Department recently participated in the anti-drinking and driving national campaign "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" year-end crackdown.

The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General asked the 490 law enforcement agencies throughout the state of New Jersey to conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints during December 7, 2007 through January 2, 2008 in support of the national campaign. Out of the 333 agencies that participated, only 11 made more than 20 arrests during the designated time period. Mount Olive Township Police Department not only participated in the national effort, they reported 22 DWI arrests.

"I'd like the public to know that not only do we address the impaired drivers during these larger campaigns but rather they are a constant target of enforcement here in Mount Olive Township." said Mark Spitzer, Chief of Police for Mount Olive Township. "In 2007, we arrested 157 impaired drivers throughout the year."

The New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety offered grants of $5,000 each to 82 participating municipalities. The Mount Olive Township Police Department was not one of the agencies selected to receive a grant.

"Alcohol is a factor in more than a third of fatal motor vehicle crashes in New Jersey," said Pam Fischer, Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety and a Long Valley resident. "So having police departments such as Mount Olive really step up and support the Division's 2007 holiday Over the Limit, Under Arrest drunk driving mobilization is vital to its success. Thanks to the Mount Olive Police Department's commitment to traffic safety, not just during the holidays, but throughout the year, the roadways in and around the community are safer for everyone."

Additional information on the "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" crackdown and a list of police agencies that received grants from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety for this program is available on the Division's Web site, www.NJSafeRoads.com.