Police join forces for holiday safety

Wednesday, July 3, 2002 | 9:31 a.m.

In an effort to keep Southern Nevada residents and visitors safe during the July Fourth holiday, police are stepping out to stop those driving under the influence or using illegal fireworks.

Metro Police and Nevada Highway Patrol officers plan to join forces this weekend to keep drunken drivers off the streets.

Enforcement activities in the Las Vegas Valley will concentrate on the southeast area, which has had about 30 percent of the valley's traffic deaths so far this year.

A DUI checkpoint will be held in the southeast on Friday and Saturday, continuing Sunday with corridor traffic enforcement.

As part of the emphasis on DUI drivers, Metro Police plan to deploy a van from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. every Friday and Saturday in July. Two officers will patrol the valley and respond to test, arrest and book suspected DUI drivers who have been stopped by Metro Police.

The Nevada Office of Traffic Safety is funding the van through a grant.

Henderson Police will be conducting a DUI checkpoint from 2 p.m. until midnight on Saturday at Lake Mead Drive and Lake Las Vegas.

Metro Police will also increase patrols and DUI enforcement in Laughlin. Officers will strictly enforce illegal fireworks violations in both Laughlin and Searchlight.