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Published on 09/11/1995 All articles from this issue

Zeroes amount to good news in Labor Day Avoid the 13 campaign

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

Over Labor Day weekend, Los Altos police officers made no arrests for drinking and driving, they had no alcohol related accidents with injuries, and no fatal accidents during the Avoid the 13 crackdown on drinking and driving.

That's a classic case of no news being good news.

"Our dream is to have zeros like this throughout the county," said Jan Ford, spokeswoman for the Santa Clara County Police Chiefs Association that sponsors the Avoid the 13 program.

Los Altos devoted an extra patrol car on Labor Day weekend to respond exclusively to drinking and driving incidents on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Elsewhere in the county, freeway arrests for drinking and driving dropped by 21 percent, Ford said. There were 126 arrests countywide, compared to 129 last year, and three alcohol-related injury accidents compared to five last year. No one was killed by a drinking driver either year. Police in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Campbell and Palo Alto stopped 2,404 cars and questioned drivers at the checkpoints. One arrest was made in Campbell and four were made in Morgan Hill.

"This low number shows deterrence at its finest," said Gilroy Police Chief Roy Sumisaki, Avoid the 13 chairman.

This program is sponsored by the 13-plus law enforcement agencies in Santa Clara County and began 22 years ago to curb drinking and driving during the end-of-the-year holidays.

"It's an outstanding program," said Los Altos Police Sgt. Bob Lacey. "We're very aggressive. Avoid the 13 definitely has a deterrent effect."