NEWS ADVISORY

TOUGHER ENFORCEMENT AT BORDER FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Police  to Target Underage Violators

WHAT:

Operation Safe Crossing—San Diego Police will coordinate a multi-agency enforcement operation at the San Ysidro/Tijuana border crossing Labor Day Weekend. Officers from San Diego, National City, and Chula Vista Police Departments, San Diego Police Department (SDPD) K-9 unit, Federal Police, Probation, State Parole, and the Sheriff’s Department will participate in southbound and northbound operations.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will conduct a maximum enforcement period near the border over Labor Day weekend.  They will also conduct a “DUI” checkpoint near the border on Sept. 4, in partnership with the SDPD.

WHERE:

Southbound pedestrian turnstiles—San Diego Police will be checking IDs, turning away everyone under 18 not accompanied by a guardian, detaining those with false identification and enforcing curfew. Youths and other community volunteers will distribute “Don’t Drink and Drive” messages along with emergency phone numbers, and information on safety and drinking laws.

Northbound pedestrian crossing—Aggressive enforcement of existing alcohol and public intoxication laws, arresting intoxicated pedestrians and drivers. Transport vans will be used to expedite and streamline the arrest process of intoxicated travelers returning from Mexico.

Designated Driver Program: Community volunteers and local parking lot will encourage Mexico-bound crossers to be responsible and not drink and drive (Debra Marbut, Border Station Parking, (858) 451-8682)

WHEN: FRI. Sept. 1 and SAT, Sept. 2, 2000. OSC begins at 8:00 p.m. and ends at DAWN

WHY:  To reduce problems associated with cross-border underage and binge drinking.

• Thousands of teenagers will be going to Mexico to party before going back to school.  

• Since Operation Safe Crossing began in June 1997, alcohol-related problems have declined at the border:  

  • 26% reduction of late night border crossers.  

  •  37 % decrease of crossers with a Blood Alcohol Content above the legal limit (.08 BAC).  

  • 51 % drop in the BAC levels for underage light to medium drinkers.  

  • On any given weekend night, 1,400 people return to the U.S. with a BAC level above the legal limit. Of those, 450 end up driving on San Diego roads and highways between midnight and 6 a.m.

WHO: The following are available for telephone interviews: