Police use pints to fight DUI

Wednesday, December 20 BENNINGTON — Each year during the holiday season, the Bennington Police Department works overtime to ensure the safety of drivers by increasing officer visibility and setting up DUI checkpoints in town. This year the department will continue these tried-and-true methods, but will also try something new — advertising their message on pint glasses at local bars and restaurants. "It was my idea that we try to do something to promote highway safety," said Lt. Paul Doucette of the BPD. "One of the ways we let people know we're out there is through increased visibility. We don't want people driving impaired at all."

The pint glasses are being distributed to a variety of bars and restaurants around town and will be put into circulation on Friday. The 160 glasses were made by local company Catamount Glass and donated to the police force. The glasses come with four different pictures on them — the BPD patch, the BPD special response team patch, the BPD K-9 logo and the BPD 150th anniversary badge logo. Doucette said the logos are there to help remind people that police are on the streets in full force during the holiday season. "Around the holidays, people tend to drink a little more," Doucette said. "And that's OK, just as long as they have somebody to drive them home." Local restaurants Doucette delivered three cases of the pint glasses to Carmody's on Tuesday, and owner T.J. Carmody said he's happy to support the cause. Along with pouring drinks into the new pint glasses, Carmody said designated drivers will get free soda or coffee at the restaurant. "It should give awareness to people and make them pay attention a little more," Carmody said. "We're not telling people they can't have a good time, just to be more responsible." While the glasses are a good starting point to raise DUI awareness around town, Doucette said police officers will be out in full force between Friday and Jan. 1 to catch people who don't get the message. This increased visibility will take place because of a $7,500 grant the department received through the Vermont Governor's Highway Safety Program. The money will help pay for 220 hours of overtime pay for officers during the holiday season. Doucette said officers will be on the lookout for impaired drivers and speeders, along with seat belt and car seat violations. "The program is designed to remove impaired operators and make highways safer during the holiday season," Doucette said. "The more police that are out, the more people driving under the influence we can remove from the highways and make them safer." Part of the arsenal the BPD uses to catch drivers who are under the influence is sobriety checkpoints. "People don't always like the inconvenience of waiting in a line at the sobriety checkpoints," Doucette said. "But most people are very supportive when they come through the checkpoints." Doucette said the BPD arrested six operators who were under the influence during the 11-day holiday mobilization last year, and two of them were involved in crashes. He hopes the number of DUI arrests will go down this year because of the pint glass campaign, along with educational awareness that takes place year-round. After the holiday season, Doucette said the local bars and restaurants will continue to use the pint glasses in the hopes that DUI awareness will become a year-round issue. "I'm not just about going out and arresting people," Doucette said. "I'm hoping we have a very safe holiday season without any major accidents related to alcohol."