NORWICH – Stop DWI teamed up with the Chenango County Sheriff's Office and the Norwich Police Department to enforce the agency's crackdown on drinking and/or drugging and driving. Stop DWI, the CCSO and the NPD set up a joint-agency DWI sobriety checkpoint on Rexford St. in the City of Norwich on Dec. 20.
The DWI sobriety checkpoints are funded by the crackdown grants given to the agency by the state. Stop DWI has a two-part solution to drinking and/or drugging and driving: education and enforcement. When education does not deter driving under the influence, enforcement is the last resort.
NPD Assistant Chief Scott Burlison said, “The governor and the state are taking driving under the influence very seriously. If you watch TV, there are commercials advertising against drunk driving and warning the public that law enforcement is cracking down. The checkpoints are part of the campaign to get drunk drivers off the road.”
“So far we have made arrests at every checkpoint,” added Burlison.
The Dec. 20 sobriety checkpoint was the third checkpoint conducted by the three agencies. CCSO Sergeant C. Ted Ellingsen said, “I think it was very successful. I think the biggest success is that we got the word out there that we are checking whether or not people are driving under the influence.”
According to Ellingsen, the three biggest drinking holidays are “Black Wednesday,” which is the day before Thanksgiving, the Superbowl and St. Patrick's Day. “We do checkpoints on all the big holidays where people might be drinking or using drugs, like Halloween or Thanksgiving,” said Burlison.
“Our goal is to educate the public, and when we have enforce the law, we are just doing our job. The trend always seems to be, let's make the public aware of what's going on. That's our biggest job, to deter drunk-driving. If they know we are out, they might get a cab or get a designated driver,” added Ellingsen.
Ellingsen said when he is off the clock, he tries to regularly visit a local bar, orders a soda and offers to drive people home. He adds, “If we don't set an example, who will?”
He also said that he has noticed other people acting as designated drivers now that the word is out. While conducting a DWI check, he thought one lady had been drinking because the car smelled like alcohol. It turned out she was sober and making sure her friends got home safely.
Burlison and Ellingsen encourage drivers to think twice about getting behind the wheel if they have been drinking or using drugs. “I know the holidays are over and we have the Superbowl coming up. If you are going to go out and have a couple drinks and celebrate with your friends, I think that's great. But plan ahead. Don't get behind the wheel and change your life or someone else's life forever,” said Ellingsen.
Burlison added, “Just know that if you get caught and are arrested for DWI, it is an expensive and time-consuming process. Get a cab or have a designated driver. It's not worth it.”
The following people were arrested during the Dec. 20 DWI checkpoint:
• Angus Cullipher, 42, Oxford, was arrested by CCSO Sgt. Ellingsen for driving while intoxicated; driving while intoxicated with a BAC over .08; and open container in a motor vehicle. Cullipher was issued traffic citations for the Town of Norwich Court and released to a third party. He is to appear in court at a later date.
• Neilen Barker,19, New Berlin, was arrested by CCSO Sgt. Gould for operating a motor vehicle while ability impaired by drugs; and unlawful possession of marijuana. Barker was issued traffic citations for the Town of Norwich Court and released to a third party. He is to appear in court at a later date.
The next joint-agency DWI checkpoint in Norwich will be on the night of the Superbowl.