CHP Officers to Conduct New Year's Enforcement Campaign

RIVERSIDE (CNS) - California Highway Patrol officers will ramp up
operations tonight and through tomorrow to crack down on drunken and drug-
impaired motorists throughout the Inland Empire as part of a New Year's anti-
DUI campaign.
  

The CHP will initiate its New Year's ``Holiday Enforcement Period'' at
6 p.m. Wednesday, when all available officers will deploy to catch impaired
motorists, speeders and other traffic violators. The campaign, which replicates
a 30 hour HEP that occurred during Christmas, will continue until late Thursday
night.
  

``We're entering a New Year, but our message stays the same: Driving
under the influence increases the risks on our roads, raises the chance of a
crash and puts lives in danger,'' CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. ``We
encourage everyone to do their part in keeping our roads safe by making
responsible choices behind the wheel.''
  

Officers from the Riverside, Blythe, Indio, San Gorgonio Pass and
Temecula CHP stations will be on Inland Empire freeways, highways and
unincorporated roads, looking to snare suspects.
  

The 2024-25 New Year's HEP netted 481 arrests statewide, compared to
892 during the 2023-24 campaign, according to the CHP. As in the case for this
year's deployment, last year's campaign was abridged due to the holiday falling
midweek. However, in 2023-24, the effort spanned three full days and nights
because it was a holiday weekend.
  

The end-of-year crackdown coincides with anti-DUI campaigns involving
the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and multiple municipal law
enforcement agencies countywide.
  

Deputies and officers have been conducting saturation patrols and
staffing sobriety checkpoints to catch intoxicated drivers. Those operations
will conclude this weekend.
  

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