LANCASTER − It was a busy weekend on the roads for local law enforcement.
The Ohio Highway Patrol Lancaster post, the city police department, the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office and the local major crimes unit from July 17 to July 19 conducted a criminal interdiction and impaired driving enforcement detail within the city.
The objective was to reduce traffic fatalities by removing impaired drivers from the roadways and disrupting criminal activity.
Police conducted 149 traffic stops. The stops resulted in 11 impaired driving arrests, eight felony drug cases and six warrant arrests.
Two people were referred to Project F.O.R.T. (Fairfield County Overdose Response Team) for assistance and support services.
Sheriff Alex Lape said the operation also resulted in amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamines, THC, acid tablets and mushrooms being seized.
“Anytime we do this, it creates a good working relationship with the local agencies,” he said. “But it also benefits everybody because it’s a force multiplier. We can put two or three people to it and not cause a big impact on staffing and our resources.”
Lape said there were no dedicated checkpoints used in the operation, which law enforcement frequently employs.
The highway patrol said anyone observing an impaired driver or who wants to report suspected drug activity can call the patrol at #677 to make a report.
jbarron@gannett.com
740-681-4340
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This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Local law enforcement arrests several after weekend road blitz
Reporting by Jeff Barron, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette / Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jeff Barron, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette | USA TODAY Network
