The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is preparing for a Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign for Labor Day. Chief Deputy Robert Boyce tells WSJM News the enforcement period will be from August 14 to September 7.
“It is a national holiday with the end of summer coming, and people in typical years send their children back o universities and schools, so it’s a time for one last celebration of the summer,” Boyce said.
Boyce says the sheriff’s department will have extra patrols on the road, as will Michigan State Police and more than 100 other police agencies around the state. They won’t just be looking for drunks, but also for those who are high since the legalization of marijuana in Michigan.
“We’ve been seeing an increase, ever since it’s been legalized for medical issues and now for recreation, and the penalties for driving while high are the same for driving while intoxicated.”
Boyce says deputies have been trained to recognize the signs someone is under the influence of marijuana. He urges everyone who’s going to be celebrating Labor Day to arrange for a ride, noting friends and loved ones would much rather pick you up than get a call that you’ve been in a crash.
