Haines Police will be spending extra time patrolling for driving violations over the next couple days.
It’s part of the national ‘Click it or Ticket’ driving safety awareness campaign. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides funding to states, which then pay local law enforcement to grant overtime hours for extra patrols.
Tammy Kramer with the Alaska Highway Safety Office says this is the first time in several years the Haines Police Department has elected to participate in the event.
“It’s called a high-visibility enforcement event and it happens throughout the year for different holidays,” Kramer said.
Kramer says ‘Click it or Ticket’ happens in the weeks around Memorial Day and is focused on urging people to wear seatbelts.
Haines Police Sgt. Josh Dryden says the additional patrols will be on the lookout not only for seatbelts, but other driving safety violations.
“Just to get people to buckle up, drive safe, do not drive impaired,” Dryden said. “Whether it’s pills, alcohol, marijuana, call us, we’ll give you a ride. Just don’t get behind that wheel. Don’t hurt anybody else, don’t hurt yourself.”
The HPD’s extra patrols will be happening Thursday, Friday and for a few hours over the weekend.
Dryden says the department will participate in more high-visibility enforcement events later this summer.
