The Jamestown Police Department is taking the "You Drink & Drive, You Lose" campaign one step farther. The department is participating in an "Impaired Driving Crackdown" on Aug. 8, from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. with 11 other coastal communities.

The RI Department of Transportation's Office on Highway Safety is coordinating a multijurisdictional enforcement of the state's DUI laws that will include twelve RI police departments. The one-night effort is a prelude to the National Impaired Driving crackdown that will take place from Aug. 15 to Sept. 1. During this time, additional officers will be on roads across RI looking for impaired drivers on weekend nights.

Jamestown Police Department Sgt. Karen Catlow said, "In RI, police are not allowed to conduct sobriety checkpoints. We are one of 11 states that impose restrictions on checkpoints." Instead, the town will be working with other departments to utilize saturation patrols.

Catlow explained saturation patrols as concentrated enforcement efforts designed to target impaired drivers by observing moving violations such as reckless driving, speeding, aggressive driving, and others. Saturation patrols are spread over a large geographic area. "The message we are sending is that if you drive drunk, you will be arrested," she added.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics, in 2005, RI had 87 fatal crashes, 48 (55 percent) of which were alcohol related. Of those 48 cases, 34 drivers had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or greater. In 2006, the alcohol related incidents improved slightly. Out of 81 fatal crashes, 42 (51 percent), were alcohol related. 29 of the drivers had a BAC of .08 or greater.

In view of the number of incidents of drunken driving and underage drinking that have occurred in Jamestown this summer, the police are taking this campaign seriously. According to Catlow, all Jamestown officers will be watching closely for any signs of impaired driving at all times.