Harrisburg Police Bureau vehicle
Harrisburg is preparing for the upcoming holiday weekend, making sure people stay safe while having fun.
The city announced on Thursday that the police bureau would deploy DUI patrols on St. Patrick’s Day to encourage safe driving and to catch potential drunk drivers.
The increased police presence will run from Saturday, March 16 at 9 p.m. until 3 a.m. on Sunday, March 17.
“We like to call it ‘proactive policing,’” said Sgt. Tony Elliott of the police bureau. “If you plan on going out, make sure you also have a plan to safely get home.”
Harrisburg will be one of 11 local municipalities taking part in Dauphin County-wide impaired driving enforcement operations for the holiday.
According to the city, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the busiest nights of the year for downtown Harrisburg.
The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place downtown earlier that day at 2 p.m.
The legal alcohol limit for drivers in the commonwealth is a .08 blood alcohol level.
“Every time you have something to drink and you get behind the wheel of a car, it’s a murder in progress,” Elliott said. “You just don’t know who the victim is.”
A nearly $650,000 PennDOT grant, which reimburses local police departments for special enforcement duties, will pay for the extra coverage on St. Patrick’s Day.
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